Factors affecting success of biological agents used in controlling the plant-parasitic nematodes

Mahfouz M M Abd-Elgawad,Tarique Hassan Askary

doi:10.1186/s41938-020-00215-2

Mahfouz M M Abd-Elgawad, Tarique Hassan Askary

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-020-00215-2

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Abstract

Biological control agents (BCAs) are increasingly used against various plant-parasitic nematode (PPN) pests and offer a favorable alternative to hazardous chemical nematicides. Yet, their lack of efficacy, inconsistent field performance, and/or unfavorable economic factors have generally relegated them to a relatively small sector of pesticide market. Efficacy and biocontrol success can be boosted via holistic grasping of soil biological and ecological factors. Therefore, such factors were highlighted to give better directions for their use. Main points discussed currently are considered to affect the transmission success of these BCAs so that their use must be a way forward in crop protection/pest management. These included improved sampling, grasping BCAs interactions with soil biota and ecology, cost-effective use of BCAs, genetic manipulation for better PPN control, grower acceptance and awareness-raising of BCA techniques, and commercial application.

Highlights

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) constitute so serious threats to growing crops in quantity and quality that the figures showing global averages of crop losses annually are staggering (Abd-Elgawad and Askary 2015)
Biological control agents (BCAs) are frequently slower acting, less effective, and more inconsistent than control normally achieved with chemicals
Plant-parasitic nematodes pose real threats to many economically important crops, which necessitated their control via various approaches

Summary

Introduction

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) constitute so serious threats to growing crops in quantity and quality that the figures showing global averages of crop losses annually are staggering (Abd-Elgawad and Askary 2015). Biological control agents (BCAs) rank high among other PPN management options given mounting care to lessen the application of chemical nematicides with a clear aim at avoiding human health hazards and attaining pollution-free environment. In this respect, growing dissatisfaction with chemical pesticides has increased the research efforts to develop biological pesticides as important components of environmentally friendly pest management systems (Glare et al 2012; Abd-Elgawad et al 2017).

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