Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacterial as Biocontrol Agent Against Soil Borne Diseases

Abstract

Soil-borne diseases are responsible for major crop losses worldwide. Diseases caused by plant pathogens adversely affect global crop productivity and account for 20-40 per cent yield losses annually in various cereal and legume crops. In India, 57,000 metric tonnes of synthetic pesticides were used during the 2016- 17 to control the plant pathogens and insect pests, whereas the amount of biopesticide consumption was only 6340 metric tonnes. The development of resistance due to continuous use of pesticides in modern farming and increased availability of pesticide residues in vegetables, cereals and grains has generated many problems. Moreover, the unregulated and indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides causes pollution of soil, water and air along with decrease in the soil microflora and fauna. Huge amounts of money are being spent on application of synthetic pesticides to control soil borne diseases worldwide. Alternatives to the use of synthetic chemicals for disease control are increasingly being sought due to among other reasons, the detrimental effects of these compounds on the environment