Application of fungal biocontrol agents for the management of plant parasitic nematodes

Abstract

Plant parasitic nematodes are one of the major threats to quantitative and qualitative production of several economic crops growing around the world. Nematodes are expected to cause annual global loss of $358 billion to agricultural crops. Growers generally depend primarily on chemical nematicides to solve the nematode problem but the negative impact of chemicals on the environment and the resistance developed by these plant parasitic nematodes against the nematicides demand for an alternative approach that should be eco-friendly and cost effective. Biocontrol agents are important components of eco-friendly pest management systems. Among the biocontrol agents, fungi have been found the most effective that reduce nematode populations. Fungal antagonists of nematodes consist of a wide range of organisms belonging to divergent orders and families, which include nematode trapping fungi, endoparasitic fungi, parasite of nematode eggs and cysts and symbiotic fungi. They reduce nematode population directly through parasitism and antibiosis or by providing higher nutrient and water uptake to the plant or by modifying the root morphology. Besides, they can also induce resistance against nematodes by activating hormone mediated plant defense mechanisms. In order to maximize the benefits, fungal biocontrol agents need to be included in integrated nematode management (INM) programs. This chapter provides an overview of the potential of various fungal biocontrol agents against plant parasitic nematodes. Besides, cost effective technologies for the mass production of these biocontrol agents have been also discussed.