Biocontrol Agents for Sustainable Plant Disease Management

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2026 | Viewed by 2844

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Nanotechnology & Microbial Biocontrol Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, La Paz 23096, Mexico
Interests: phytopathology; food science; plant–microbe interactions; microbiology; biological control; plant disease resistance; nanotechnology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The application of pesticides for disease control in agriculture is a common practice worldwide that guarantees crop quality; however, their use can pose a significant risk to ecosystems and human and animal health. Given the growing concern for producing food without harming the planet and its living components, other alternatives for controlling plant pathogens now exist, such as the application of microorganisms as biocontrol agents (BCAs), which include bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and actinomycetes, among others. BCAs have demonstrated high efficiency in in vitro and in vivo studies compared to synthetic pesticides for controlling plant pathogens. The incorporation of BCAs into agricultural production schemes is a global challenge; however, their role as an important component of sustainable agriculture will contribute to food sovereignty. This Special Issue seeks to provide an overview of the most recent advances in the use of BCAs for globally important plant pathogens and their potential incorporation into crop agronomic management.

Dr. Luis Guillermo Hernández-Montiel
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • phytopathogens
  • BCAs
  • pesticides
  • antagonistic microorganisms
  • in vitro and in vivo studies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4349 KB  
Article
Functional and Genomic Characterization of Serratia quinivorans NFX21 and Pseudomonas thivervalensis NFX104, Novel Biocontrol Agents Against Botrytis cinerea
by Sara Tedesco, Filipa T. Silva, Margarida Pimenta, Frédéric Bustos Gaspar, Marta Nunes da Silva, Maria Teresa Barreto Crespo and Francisco X. Nascimento
Plants 2026, 15(7), 1052; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15071052 - 29 Mar 2026
Viewed by 629
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea, the causative agent of gray mold, is a major fungal pathogen affecting a wide range of economically important crops. To identify sustainable alternatives to chemical fungicides, this study characterized the biocontrol potential of two bacterial strains, Serratia quinivorans NFX21 and [...] Read more.
Botrytis cinerea, the causative agent of gray mold, is a major fungal pathogen affecting a wide range of economically important crops. To identify sustainable alternatives to chemical fungicides, this study characterized the biocontrol potential of two bacterial strains, Serratia quinivorans NFX21 and Pseudomonas thivervalensis NFX104, through genomic analysis and functional assays targeting key stages of fungal growth and plant infection. The NFX21 and NFX104 strains significantly inhibited B. cinerea mycelial growth (~35%) and strongly suppressed conidial germination with performances comparable to the reference biocontrol strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST 713. In tomato detached-leaf and whole-plant pot assays, application of NFX21 and NFX104 significantly reduced gray mold incidence and lesion severity relative to nontreated infected plants (53–64%, detached leaves; 12–13%, whole-plant assays), achieving disease control levels similar to those obtained with the commercial biofungicide Serenade ASO®. Whole-genome sequencing allowed the taxonomic assignment of the NFX strains and revealed a rich repertoire of biosynthetic gene clusters and antifungal determinants. The NFX21 genome contained genes associated with N-acyl-homoserine lactone-mediated quorum-sensing and production of lipopeptides, siderophores, and extracellular lytic enzymes. The NFX104 genome harbored clusters involved in the biosynthesis of multiple siderophores, 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol and hydrogen cyanide. Moreover, both the NFX21 and NFX104 genomes contained additional low-homology clusters that potentially encode for novel unexplored metabolites. Collectively, these results support the translational potential of NFX21 and NFX104 as biocontrol candidates for sustainable, integrated management of gray mold caused by B. cinerea. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents for Sustainable Plant Disease Management)
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24 pages, 3440 KB  
Article
Multi-Target Herbicidal Effects of Agave lechuguilla Torr. Extract on Chenopodium album L.: Germination Inhibition, Metabolic Disruption, and Morpho-Physiological Alterations
by Adrián E. Velázquez-Lizárraga, Leopoldo Javier Ríos-González, Luis Guillermo Hernández-Montiel, Carmen Rodríguez-Jaramillo, Paola Magallón-Servín, Eric J. Abraham-Jaramillo, Felipe Ascencio and Ana G. Reyes
Plants 2026, 15(5), 745; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15050745 - 28 Feb 2026
Viewed by 995
Abstract
The pursuit of sustainable alternatives has spurred interest in plant-derived bioherbicides with multi-target actions to combat resistance. This study explored the herbicidal potential of Agave lechuguilla extract (AGE) against the widely problematic weed Chenopodium album L. (lambsquarters). Various methods, including germination assays, biochemical [...] Read more.
The pursuit of sustainable alternatives has spurred interest in plant-derived bioherbicides with multi-target actions to combat resistance. This study explored the herbicidal potential of Agave lechuguilla extract (AGE) against the widely problematic weed Chenopodium album L. (lambsquarters). Various methods, including germination assays, biochemical profiling, measurements of antioxidant enzyme activity, isothermal microcalorimetry, and both macroscopic and microscopic morphological analyses, were employed to evaluate the effects of AGE relative to glyphosate (1.5%). The results indicated that AGE inhibited seed germination in a concentration-dependent manner, with the 30 g/L dose exhibiting the most significant effect. Treatment with 30 g/L of AGE led to a notable decrease in total carbohydrate content and catalase activity, an increase in total lipids, and an enhancement of glutathione reductase activity. Additionally, it suppressed metabolic heat output and severely disrupted root and cellular architecture, resulting in a reduction of cell area by 51.1%. In contrast, glyphosate primarily increased lipid content and induced near-complete metabolic suppression while causing distinct morphological and enzymatic alterations. The findings demonstrate that AGE functions as a multi-target pre-emergence bioherbicide, disrupting processes related to germination, metabolism, oxidative balance, and morphology through mechanisms that differ from the single-target action of glyphosate. This underscores its potential for sustainable weed management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents for Sustainable Plant Disease Management)
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18 pages, 2228 KB  
Article
Diversity and Biocontrol Potential of Fungi Associated with Cyst Nematodes and Soils in Swiss Potato Agroecosystems
by Andrea Caroline Ruthes and Paul Dahlin
Plants 2025, 14(24), 3775; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14243775 - 11 Dec 2025
Viewed by 816
Abstract
Cyst nematodes are persistent soilborne pests that severely impact crop productivity worldwide. Their protective cysts enable long-term survival and host diverse fungal communities that remain largely unexplored as potential sources of biological control agents. In this study, we isolated culturable fungi from cysts [...] Read more.
Cyst nematodes are persistent soilborne pests that severely impact crop productivity worldwide. Their protective cysts enable long-term survival and host diverse fungal communities that remain largely unexplored as potential sources of biological control agents. In this study, we isolated culturable fungi from cysts of Globodera, Heterodera, and Punctodera, as well as from soils collected across Swiss potato fields between 2018 and 2024. Sequencing identified 78 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs), predominantly belonging to Ascomycota (73%), mainly Sordariomycetes (59%) and Eurotiomycetes (8%), with additional representatives from Mortierellomycota and Basidiomycota. Fusarium was the most abundant genus, followed by Clonostachys, Chaetomium, and Pochonia, while 28% of isolates remained unclassified, indicating potentially novel taxa. Selected fungi, including Orbilia brochopaga CH-02, Clonostachys rosea CH-04 and CH-15, and Pochonia chlamydosporia CH-51, significantly reduced motility, infection and root galling of Meloidogyne incognita in vitro and in planta. Notably, CH-02 reduced root galling by 63%, highlighting its strong mechanical and antagonistic activity. These results demonstrate that cyst nematodes harbor a rich and functionally diverse fungal community with substantial biocontrol potential, providing a foundation for developing sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical nematicides in crop protection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents for Sustainable Plant Disease Management)
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