Biocontrol of Plant Diseases by Bacillus subtilis

Book excerpt: Plant diseases are a serious threat to food production. This unique volume provides the fundamental knowledge and practical use of B.subtilis as a promising biocontrol agent. In order to replace chemical pesticides, one possibility is microbial pesticides using safe microbes. Bacillus subtilis is one of several candidates. Screening of the bacterium, the application of plant tests, clarification of its suppressive mechanism to plant pathogens and engineering aspects of suppressive peptides production are presented here. The author illustrates how B. subtilis is far more advantageous than, for example, Pseudomonas in biocontrol and can be considered as an useful candidate. Features: Bacterium B. subtilis suppresses many plant pathogens and is a biocontrol agent to replace chemical pesticides The book presents the bacterium's suppressive mechanism to plant pathogens, and engineering aspects of suppressive peptides production Biological control of plant disease plays an important role in sustainable agricultural production practices and is expected to replace agricultural chemicals