Abstract
A fast-growing field of research focuses on microbial biocontrol in the phyllosphere. Phyllosphere microorganisms possess a wide range of adaptation and biocontrol factors, which allow them to adapt to the phyllosphere environment and inhibit the growth of microbial pathogens, thus sustaining plant health. These biocontrol factors can be categorized in direct, microbe–microbe, and indirect, host–microbe, interactions. This review gives an overview of the modes of action of microbial adaptation and biocontrol in the phyllosphere, the genetic basis of the mechanisms, and examples of experiments that can detect these mechanisms in laboratory and field experiments. Detailed insights in such mechanisms are key for the rational design of novel microbial biocontrol strategies and increase crop protection and production. Such novel biocontrol strategies are much needed, as ensuring sufficient and consistent food production for a growing world population, while protecting our environment, is one of the biggest challenges of our time.
Highlights
Pathogens and pests cause between 20% and 30% of global crop yield losses (Savary et al, 2019)
Biocontrol is a broad term, including eukaryotic biocontrol agents such as yeasts, fungi, beneficial insects, and other nonmicrobial pests, in this review we focus on bacterial biocontrol agents
We focus on external leaf applications of biocontrol agents, unless otherwise specified
Summary
Pathogens and pests cause between 20% and 30% of global crop yield losses (Savary et al, 2019). In analogy to a successful probiotic micro-organism, a successful biocontrol agent needs both specific adaptations that allow survival in the phyllosphere habitat (adaptation factors), as well as factors that contribute to the health of the host plant, by inhibiting the pathogen (probiotic or biocontrol factors) (Lebeer et al, 2008). Occurring genera in phyllosphere communities are Methylobacterium, Sphingomonas, and Pseudomonas (Delmotte et al, 2009; Vorholt, 2012) These common phyllosphere bacteria possess specific adaptation factors to the phyllosphere. Biocontrol activity by a Brevibacillus brevis strain against Botrytis cinerea had been observed in the phyllosphere of Chinese cabbage (Edwards and Seddon, 2001) This strain produces the antibiotic gramicidin S, another cyclic antibiotic non-ribosomal decapeptide and major constituent of tyrothricin. Several plant pathogens belong to this genus, such as the model phyllosphere pathogen Pseudomonas syringae
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