Bio-fungicides: The best alternative for sustainable food security and ecosystem

Abstract

Plant diseases cause estimated yield reductions of almost 20% in agricultural and horticultural crops worldwide. The discovery of synthetic fungicides has contributed greatly to the increase of food production by controlling diseases. However, the use of these synthetic fungicides during the last three decades has raised a number of ecological problems. According to CGIAR, sustainable agriculture is the successful management of resources to satisfy the changing human needs, while maintaining the quality of environment and conserving natural resources. The obvious choice for that will be the use of bio-fungicides to combat plant diseases, as they are relatively safe, biodegradable and eco-friendly. Bio-fungicides exert different mechanisms like antibiosis, competition, mycoparasitism and induce systemic resistance to encounter harmful plant pathogens. The simplified registration system of biopesticides in recent years allows for commercial pilot production of bio-fungicides in many countries. Accordingly, many commercial formulations are available in the market. Development of microbial consortia will improve disease control through synergy in signal cross talk between microbes. Genetically improved antagonistic microorganisms tend to increase their effectiveness as bio-fungicides with an enhanced antifungal activity. Application of genetically manipulated bio-fungicides in modern agriculture offers tremendous opportunities for expanding food production, reducing risks in food production, improving environmental protection, strengthening food marketing, enhancing the livelihood of farmers and ensuring food security in developing countries.