Department of Botany, PDM University, Haryana, India
JournalPIJST
Volume / Issue2 / 6
Pages29–38
Published30 Jun 2025
Paper IDPIJST26J25004
Views / Downloads1 / 0
Article summary
Abstract
Soil-borne plant pathogens such as Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Sclerotium pose significant threats to global agricultural productivity, particularly in intensively cultivated regions like India. Excessive reliance on chemical pesticides has led to environmental degradation, development of resistant pathogen strains, and health hazards. In this context, beneficial microorganisms—especially Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), Trichoderma spp., and mycorrhizal fungi—have emerged as eco-friendly biocontrol agents that suppress pathogens, improve soil fertility, and enhance crop productivity. These microorganisms employ mechanisms such as antibiosis, niche competition, parasitism, and induced systemic resistance to control phytopathogens in the rhizosphere. Indian field studies have shown that microbial consortia composed of Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis, and Trichoderma harzianum can significantly reduce the incidence of wilt and damping-off diseases in crops like chickpea and brinjal. Despite promising results, biocontrol implementation faces practical challenges including inconsistent field efficacy, formulation stability, regulatory hurdles, and lack of farmer awareness. Technological advances, including microbial genome editing and consortia-based bioformulations, are improving the adaptability and effectiveness of biocontrol strategies. This paper reviews the mechanisms, case studies, constraints, and future prospects of microbial biocontrol in sustainable agriculture. Strengthening research, regulatory clarity, and farmer education are essential for the wider adoption of biological control as a viable alternative to chemical inputs. Integrating microbial biocontrol with conventional pest management can ensure sustainable crop protection, biodiversity conservation, and food security in the face of mounting ecological and economic challenges. Rajesh Tiwari Department of Botany, PDM University, Haryana
Rajesh Tiwari (2025). Role of Beneficial Microorganisms in the Biological Control of Soil-Borne Plant Pathogens: A Sustainable Approach in Agriculture. Procedure International Journal of Science and Technology, 2(6), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.62796/pijst.2025v2i6004
Rajesh Tiwari. “Role of Beneficial Microorganisms in the Biological Control of Soil-Borne Plant Pathogens: A Sustainable Approach in Agriculture.” Procedure International Journal of Science and Technology, vol. 2, no. 6, 2025, pp. 29–38. https://doi.org/10.62796/pijst.2025v2i6004
Rajesh Tiwari. “Role of Beneficial Microorganisms in the Biological Control of Soil-Borne Plant Pathogens: A Sustainable Approach in Agriculture.” Procedure International Journal of Science and Technology 2, no. 6 (2025): 29–38. https://doi.org/10.62796/pijst.2025v2i6004
Rajesh Tiwari (2025) ‘Role of Beneficial Microorganisms in the Biological Control of Soil-Borne Plant Pathogens: A Sustainable Approach in Agriculture’, Procedure International Journal of Science and Technology, 2(6), pp. 29–38. Available at: https://doi.org/10.62796/pijst.2025v2i6004.
Rajesh Tiwari, “Role of Beneficial Microorganisms in the Biological Control of Soil-Borne Plant Pathogens: A Sustainable Approach in Agriculture,” Procedure International Journal of Science and Technology, vol. 2, no. 6, pp. 29–38, 2025. https://doi.org/10.62796/pijst.2025v2i6004.
Rajesh Tiwari. Role of Beneficial Microorganisms in the Biological Control of Soil-Borne Plant Pathogens: A Sustainable Approach in Agriculture. Procedure International Journal of Science and Technology. 2025;2(6):29–38. https://doi.org/10.62796/pijst.2025v2i6004.
Rajesh Tiwari. Role of Beneficial Microorganisms in the Biological Control of Soil-Borne Plant Pathogens: A Sustainable Approach in Agriculture. Procedure International Journal of Science and Technology 2025, 2 (6), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.62796/pijst.2025v2i6004.
No separate funding declaration was available in the verified source record; the journal policy applies.
Conflict of Interest
No separate conflict-of-interest declaration was available in the verified source record; the journal policy applies.
Ethical Approval
No separate ethical approval statement was available in the verified source record; the article and journal policies apply.
Data Availability
No separate data-availability statement was available in the verified source record; contact the author(s) or editorial office where appropriate.
Author Contributions
No separate author-contribution statement was available in the verified source record; authorship follows the published article record.
AI-use Declaration
No separate AI-use declaration was available in the verified source record; the journal AI-use policy applies.
Editorial record
Publisher's Note
The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author(s). Publication does not imply endorsement by the journal, editorial board or publisher. Responsibility for accuracy, originality and integrity remains with the author(s). Readers should independently evaluate and verify information before application or citation.
Gopalakrishnan, S., Srinivas, V., Prakash, B., & Ratnakumar, P. (2014). Evaluation of biocontrol potential of Bacillus and Pseudomonas spp. against Fusarium wilt and dry root rot of chickpea. Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection, 47(14).
Kong, H. G., & Liu, H. (2022). The role of PGPR in biocontrol of soil-borne pathogens: Mechanisms and field performance. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13, 845960.
Singh, H. B., Mishra, S., Kumar, P., & Arora, D. K. (2017). Biological control of plant pathogens: Current concepts. In D. K. Arora (Ed.), Plant Microbes Symbiosis: Applied Facets (pp. 25–45). Springer.
Jayaraman, J., Rajarajan, R., & Kumar, P. (2021). Impact of bioagents and soil amendments on suppression of soil borne plant pathogens. Indian Journal of Plant Protection, 49(3), 123–129.
Gupta, S., & Sharma, D. (2022). Role of mycorrhizae in plant health: A review. International Journal of Botany Studies, 7(1), 34–40.
Arora Pandit, R., Kumar, A., & Sharma, A. (2022). Biological control agents and their role in sustainable agriculture. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 11(4), 1506–1511.
Arora Pandit, M., Kumar, J., Gulati, S., Bhandari, N., Mehta, P., Katyal, R., Dogra Rawat, C., Mishra, V., & Kaur, J. (2022). Major biological control strategies for plant pathogens. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Source
Singh, H., Jaiswal, V., Singh, S., Tiwari, S. P., Singh, B., & Katiyar, D. (2017). Antagonistic compounds producing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria: A tool for management of plant disease. CORE. Source
Khan, N., Maymon, M., & Hirsch, A. M. (2017). Combating Fusarium infection using Bacillus-based antimicrobials. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Source
DeGenring, L. M. (2019). Effect of cultivar and substrate on the efficacy of biopesticides to suppress Pythium on greenhouse crops [Master’s thesis, University of Guelph]. CORE. Source
Francis, F., Jacquemyn, H., Delvigne, F., & Lievens, B. (2020). From diverse origins to specific targets: Role of microorganisms in indirect pest biological control. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Source
