The Nature and Practice of Biological Control of Plant Pathogens

Hardcover  539 pages, 70 illustrations  ISBN 0890540535      £56.00

This book examines the broad subject of biological control of plant pathogens in a unified framework of concepts and principles. Among the principal themes is the fact that slight changes in an environmental factor often produce striking effects in plant-microbe interactions. The table of contents is as follows:

Why Biological Control?

• Biological Control Answers Many Agricultural Problems
• Increasing Crop Production Within Existing Resources
• Avoiding Development of Pathogen Resistance to Chemicals
• Adopting Practices Compatible with Sustainable Agriculture
• Biological Balance
• Effects of Agriculture on Biological Balance
• Historical Constraints on the Use of Biological Control with Antagonists
• The Potential of Gene Manipulation

Developmental History of Biological Control of Plant Pathogens

• Introduced Antagonists
• Resident Antagonists
• Mycoparasites
• Suppressive Soils
• Some Landmark Events of the Past Fifty Years
• Conferences and Symposia on Biological Control

Components of Biological Control

• Definition of Biological Control
• The Pathogen as a Component of Biological Control
• Antagonists as Components of Biological Control
• The Host Plant as a Component of Biological Control
• Role of the Abiotic Environment in Biological Control
• Biological Control Related to Other Controls

Approaches to Biological Control

• Biological Control of Inoculum
• Biological Destruction of Dormant Propagules
• Prevention of Inoculum Formation
• Displacement of the Pathogen in Crop Residue
• Manipulation of Factors Inherent in the Pathogen
• Biological Protection Against Infection
• Protection of Plant Material
• Protection of Roots with Biological Seed Treatments
• Biological Protection of Foliage and Flowers
• Inoculation of Pruning Wounds with Antagonists
• Cross Protection and Induced Resistance
• Virus Control by Cross Protection
• Control of Fungus Pathogens by Cross Protection
• Use of Multilines and Variety Mixtures
• Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

The Pathogen in Biological Control

• Food and Energy Management by Parasites During Parasitism
• Preventing Accumulation of Excess Nutrients
• Polluting the Infection Site or Lesion
• Modifying the Physical Environment of the Host
• Converting Food into New Propagules
• Mycovirus Infections and Hypovirulence
• Hypovirulence in Endothia parasitica and its Role in Biocontrol
• Pathological Effects of Hypovirulence in Rhizoctonia solani
• Hypovirulence in Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici
• Maintenance and Defence in the Absence of a Suscept--The Bear Market After a Bull Market
• Diversification as a Method of Resource Management
• Saprophytic Survival
• Survival as Dormant Propagules in Soil
• Initiation and Maintenance of Growth in Response to a Suscept--The Beginning of a Bull Market After a Bear Market
• Inoculation
• Pathogen Response to the Host
• Water Requirements of Pathogens

The Host and Biological Control

• Plant Water Potentials
• Plant Water Potentials for Pathogen Growth and for Biological Control with Antagonists
• Influence of Plant Water Potentials on Resistance of Plants to Pathogens
• Plant Temperature
• Leaf Temperatures for Growth of Pathogens and for Biological Control by Antagonists
• Influence of Plant Temperature on Resistance of Plants to Pathogens
• Predisposition by Chilling Injury and Freezing
• Oxygen in Plants and in the Root Zone
• Mineral Nutrition and Ionic Balance
• Nutritional Environment and Antagonistic Interactions Among Microorganisms on Plant Surfaces
• Root Exudation, Dynamics of Root Growth, and Colonization of the Rhizophere and Rhizoplane
• Exudation and Leaching from Aerial Parts
• Colonization of Aerial Parts by Microorganisms
• Debris as a Source of Nutrients on Aerial Parts of Plants
• Protection of Leaves and Flowers by the Phylloplane Microbiota
• Compartmentalization and Biological Control of Decay in Trees
• The Active Role of the Host in Biological Control
• Cell - Cell Communication Between Plants and Microorganisms
• Cell Membrane Integrity as a Factor in Success of the Host-Pathogen Interaction
• Host Defence by Physical or Chemical Containment of the Pathogen
• Cross Protection and Induced Resistance
• Direct Antagonism of the Pathogen by a Nonpathogen
• Induced Resistance
• Enhanced Host-Plant Resistance with Mycorrhizae

The Soil Ecosystem and Biological Control

• Soil Water and Aeration as Factors in Biological Control
• Some Basic Concepts
• Water Potential Requirements for Growth, and the Relative Competitive Advantage of Microorganisms in Soil
• Soil Water Content and Diffusion of Solutes
• Water-Filled Pores and the Motility of Soil Microorganisms
• Soil Aeration and Biological Control
• The Microbial Biomass of Soil
• Amounts and Methods of Measurement
• Influence of Heat Treatments and Fumigation
• Soil Fungistasis
• Crop Residue Decomposition in Relation to Biological Control
• Pathogen-Suppressive Soils
• General and Specific Suppression
• Soils Suppressive to Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici
• Fusarium-Suppressive Soils
• Phytophthora-Suppressive Soils
• Pythium-Suppressive Soils
• Biological Control of Rhizoctonia solani in Suppressive Soil

Introduction of Antagonists for Biological Control

• Antagonists as Soil Treatments
• Introduction of Hyperparasites
• Introduction of Saprophytes for Colonization of Treated Soil
• Antagonists Applied with the Planting Material
• Biological Seed Treatments
• Inoculation of Cuttings and Transplants
• Postplanting Treatment with Antagonists
• Postharvest Biological Control

Antagonistae Vitae

Agricultural Practices and Biological Control

• Cropping System
• Preplant Soil Treatments
• Tillage
• Organic Amendments
• Flooding
• Solar Heating of Soil
• Fertilization and Adjustment of Soil pH
• Methods and Date of Planting
• Irrigation Practices
• Modification of the Environment to Favor Antagonists
• Alleviation of Predisposing Plant Water Stress
• Selection of the Best Combination of Practices

Perspectives

• Detection of Effective Antagonists
• Unexploited Opportunities for Biological Control
• Unusual Approaches to the Discovery of Biological Control
• Biological Control in Less Developed Countries, and Some Lessons for the Agriculture of More Developed Countries
• A Partner at the Feast
• Expectations for Biological Control

Literature Cited

Index