Advances in Biocontrol Agents against Pathogens and Pests

Dear Colleagues,

Biocontrol offers an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. It represents an integral part of organic crop production and gains importance in IPM programs due to increasing restrictions for chemical pesticides and consumers’ demand for residue-free food.

Many biocontrol agents have been very successful. However, inconsistent effectiveness of biocontrol products under varying environmental conditions can represent a problem. Moreover, costs, safety for humans and nontarget organisms, shelf-life, and regulation issues may be further pitfalls for the development of successful biocontrol products. Therefore, advances in biocontrol research, to find new active biocontrol agents, and concepts for successful application strategies, are urgently needed. This may include, among others, context dependence of the efficacy of biocontrol agents, i.e., also under changing climatic conditions, and the use of microbial consortia instead of single strains or advances in application technology.

This Special Issue focuses on the latest research on biocontrol of plant pathogens and pests (pre- and postharvest) and covers aspects from fundamental biology of biocontrol agents to applied solutions as well as all kinds of biocontrol organisms, from viruses, microorganisms, and nematodes to parasitoids and predators.

All types of articles, such as original research, reviews, and opinions, are welcome.

Dr. Pascale Flury
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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