Biocontrol Agents and Secondary Metabolites

Book excerpt: Biocontrol and Secondary Metabolites: Applications and Immunization for Plant Growth and Protection covers established and updated research on emerging trends in plant defense signaling in, and during, stress phases. Other topics cover growth at interface as a sustainable way of life and the context of human welfare and conservation of fungi as a group of organisms. Further, the book explores induced systemic resistance using biocontrol agents and/or secondary metabolites as a milestone for sustainable agricultural production, thus providing opportunities for the minimization or elimination of the use of fungicides. - Presents an overview on mechanisms by which plants protect themselves against herbivory and pathogenic microbes - Identifies the use of immunization as a popular and effective alternative to chemical pesticides - Explores how these fungi help crop plants in better uptake of soil nutrients, increase soil fertility, produce growth promoting substances, and secrete metabolites that act as bio-pesticides