Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

The Future of Farming with Advances in Biological Control Techniques for Crop Health

Akanand, A. Krishnamoorthi, Pavan K. Patel, Sonal Kumar, Chirag V khambhu, Sapna, Vijay Kumar, Hariharan Selvam

Microbiology Research Journal International · pp. 93–112 · Published 29 Jun 2024

10.9734/mrji/2024/v34i71461

Abstract

The future of farming holds great promise with the advancement of biological control techniques aimed at enhancing crop health and sustainability. Biological control involves harnessing natural enemies of pests, such as predators, parasitoids, and pathogens, to manage pest populations in agricultural ecosystems. This approach contrasts with conventional pesticide use, offering more environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions to pest management challenges. In recent years, biological control has seen significant technological advancements that promise to revolutionize crop protection practices. One such innovation is the development and application of microbial biopesticides, which utilize naturally occurring microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and viruses to suppress pests and diseases. These biopesticides are often specific to target pests, minimizing harm to beneficial organisms and reducing chemical residues in crops and the environment. Moreover, the integration of precision agriculture technologies and data analytics has enhanced the efficacy and deployment of biological control strategies. Farmers can now monitor pest populations in real time, making informed decisions on when and where to apply biological agents. This precision not only optimizes pest control efforts but also minimizes input costs and environmental impact. Looking ahead, the future of farming with biological control techniques lies in further refining these methods through ongoing research and innovation. Advances in genetic technologies, such as CRISPR-based gene editing, offer the potential to engineer crops with inherent resistance to pests and diseases, reducing reliance on external control measures altogether. Furthermore, the promotion of ecological approaches like habitat manipulation and conservation biological control will enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services within agricultural landscapes, fostering resilient farming systems capable of adapting to future challenges posed by climate change and evolving pest pressures.

Biopesticides farmers beneficial biological population harm pest environment

References (88)

  1. 1 Crop losses to pests [DOI]
  2. 2 Induced Systemic Resistance by Beneficial Microbes [DOI]
  3. 3 Biological control of soil-borne pathogens by fluorescent pseudomonads [DOI]
  4. 4 The ecological role of biodiversity in agroecosystems [DOI]
  5. 5 Microbial life in the phyllosphere [DOI]
  6. 6 Genetic diversity and disease control in rice [DOI]
  7. 7 Insect pathogens as biological control agents: Back to the future [DOI]
  8. 8 Pollination and other ecosystem services produced by mobile organisms: a conceptual framework for the effects of land‐use change [DOI]
  9. 9 FAO, IFAD, and WFP. The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015: Meeting the 2015 International Hunger Targets: Taking Stock of Uneven Progress. Rome: FAO, 2015 [DOI]
  10. 10 Priming for Enhanced Defense [DOI]
  11. 11 Biological control using invertebrates and microorganisms: plenty of new opportunities [DOI]
  12. 12 Biological Control of Plant Pathogens [DOI]
  13. 13 Epigenetic regulation of antagonistic receptors confers rice blast resistance with yield balance [DOI]
  14. 14 Diversity and Natural Functions of Antibiotics Produced by Beneficial and Plant Pathogenic Bacteria [DOI]
  15. 15 Metabolic potential of endophytic bacteria [DOI]
  16. 16 Secondary metabolites in fungus-plant interactions [DOI]
  17. 17 Plant microbial diversity is suggested as the key to future biocontrol and health trends [DOI]
  18. 18 Cryphonectria parasitica , the causal agent of chestnut blight: invasion history, population biology and disease control [DOI]
  19. 19 Ecological functions of Trichoderma spp. and their secondary metabolites in the rhizosphere: interactions with plants [DOI]
  20. 20 Ophiostoma novo-ulmi sp. nov., causative agent of current Dutch elm disease pandemics [DOI]
  21. 21 Deciphering endophyte behaviour: the link between endophyte biology and efficacious biological control agents [DOI]
  22. 22 Bio-based resistance inducers for sustainable plant protection against pathogens [DOI]
  23. 23 Bacterial control of plant diseases [DOI]
  24. 24 Status and Prospects of Plant Virus Control Through Interference with Vector Transmission [DOI]
  25. 25 Playing on a Pathogen's Weakness: Using Evolution to Guide Sustainable Plant Disease Control Strategies [DOI]
  26. 26 Breakdown of resistance to grapevine downy mildew upon limited deployment of a resistant variety [DOI]
  27. 27 Harzianolide, a novel plant growth regulator and systemic resistance elicitor from Trichoderma harzianum [DOI]
  28. 28 Problems, challenges and future of plant disease management: from an ecological point of view [DOI]
  29. 29 Population Genetics of Fungal and Oomycete Effectors Involved in Gene-for-Gene Interactions [DOI]
  30. 30 Effector-Triggered Immunity Signaling: From Gene-for-Gene Pathways to Protein-Protein Interaction Networks [DOI]
  31. 31 Biological control of the cucurbit powdery mildew pathogen Podosphaera xanthii by means of the epiphytic fungus Pseudozyma aphidis and parasitism as a mode of action [DOI]
  32. 32 Biological control: challenges and opportunities [DOI]
  33. 33 Emergence of Potato Blight, 1843–46 [DOI]
  34. 34 Effectors of biotrophic fungi and oomycetes: pathogenicity factors and triggers of host resistance [DOI]
  35. 35 Variability among atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus strains in ability to prevent aflatoxin contamination and production of aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway enzymes [DOI]
  36. 36 Systemic resistance of potato plants against Phytophthora infestans induced by unsaturated fatty acids [DOI]
  37. 37 Thermal adaptation in the fungal pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola [DOI]
  38. 38 Foliar application of effective microorganisms on pea as an alternative fertilizer [DOI]
  39. 39 Biological control of infection of blueberry flowers caused by Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi [DOI]
  40. 40 Goldacre paper: Recognition events and host–pathogen co-evolution in gene-for-gene resistance to flax rust [DOI]
  41. 41 Biological control of bacterial stem rot caused by Erwinia chrysanthemi on tomato [DOI]
  42. 42 Important Threats in Potato Production and Integrated Pathogen/Pest Management [DOI]
  43. 43 Revisiting hot water treatments in controlling crown rot of banana cv. Buñgulan [DOI]
  44. 44 Developing suppressive soil for root diseases of soybean with continuous long-term cropping of soybean in black soil of Northeast China [DOI]
  45. 45 Mode of action of biocontrol agents: all that glitters is not gold [DOI]
  46. 46 Sexual Recombinants Make a Significant Contribution to Epidemics Caused by the Wheat Pathogen Phaeosphaeria nodorum [DOI]
  47. 47 An integrated approach with hot water treatment and salt in the control of crown rot disease and preservation of quality in banana [DOI]
  48. 48 Biological Control of Grape Powdery Mildew Using Mycophagous Mites [DOI]
  49. 49 Differential Influence of Ectomycorrhizae on Plant Growth and Disease Resistance in Pinus sylvestris Seedlings [DOI]
  50. 50 Horizontal or Generalized Resistance to Pathogens in Plants [DOI]
  51. 51 The global burden of pathogens and pests on major food crops [DOI]
  52. 52 Mode of Action of Microbial Biological Control Agents Against Plant Diseases: Relevance Beyond Efficacy [DOI]
  53. 53 Bacillus subtilis: A plant-growth promoting rhizobacterium that also impacts biotic stress [DOI]
  54. 54 Bacillus subtilis: a universal cell factory for industry, agriculture, biomaterials and medicine [DOI]
  55. 55 A single transcription factor promotes both yield and immunity in rice [DOI]
  56. 56 Biological control and integrated pest management in organic and conventional systems [DOI]
  57. 57 Biological Control of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes by Filamentous Fungi Inducers of Resistance: Trichoderma, Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi [DOI]
  58. 58 Mycotoxins Affecting Animals, Foods, Humans, and Plants: Types, Occurrence, Toxicities, Action Mechanisms, Prevention, and Detoxification Strategies—A Revisit [DOI]
  59. 59 The potential of Bacilli rhizobacteria for sustainable crop production and environmental sustainability [DOI]
  60. 60 An Analysis of the Biopesticide Market Now and Where it is Going [DOI]
  61. 61 Microbial biopesticides for insect pest management in India: Current status and future prospects [DOI]
  62. 62 Surfactin and fengycin contribute to the protection of a Bacillus subtilis strain against grape downy mildew by both direct effect and defence stimulation [DOI]
  63. 63 Biological control: a sustainable and practical approach for plant disease management [DOI]
  64. 64 Enhanced agricultural sustainability through within-species diversification [DOI]
  65. 65 Recent Advances in Synthetic Chemical Inducers of Plant Immunity [DOI]
  66. 66 Antagonist effects of strains of Bacillus spp. against Rhizoctonia solani for their protection against several plant diseases: Alternatives to chemical pesticides [DOI]
  67. 67 Pseudomonas chlororaphis metabolites as biocontrol promoters of plant health and improved crop yield [DOI]
  68. 68 Potential applications of plant probiotic microorganisms in agriculture and forestry [DOI]
  69. 69 Bacillus amyloliquefaciens inoculation alters physiology of rice (Oryza sativa L. var. IR-36) through modulating carbohydrate metabolism to mitigate stress induced by nutrient starvation [DOI]
  70. 70 Pesticide overuse in apple production and its socioeconomic determinants: Evidence from Shaanxi and Shandong provinces, China [DOI]
  71. 71 Eighty years of gene-for-gene relationship and its applications in identification and utilization of R genes [DOI]
  72. 72 Using historical data to estimate bumble bee occurrence: Variable trends across species provide little support for community-level declines [DOI]
  73. 73 Comparative Analysis of Root Microbiomes of Rice Cultivars with High and Low Methane Emissions Reveals Differences in Abundance of Methanogenic Archaea and Putative Upstream Fermenters [DOI]
  74. 74 Harvesting the complex pathways of antibiotic production and resistance of soil bacilli for optimizing plant microbiome [DOI]
  75. 75 Forage Rotations Conserve Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Soil Fertility [DOI]
  76. 76 Protection of Phage Applications in Crop Production: A Patent Landscape [DOI]
  77. 77 Characterisation of the Antibiotic Profile of Lysobacter capsici AZ78, an Effective Biological Control Agent of Plant Pathogenic Microorganisms [DOI]
  78. 78 Triple bottom-line consideration of sustainable plant disease management: From economic, sociological and ecological perspectives [DOI]
  79. 79 Maximizing World Food Production through Disease Control [DOI]
  80. 80 TaNAC35 acts as a negative regulator for leaf rust resistance in a compatible interaction between common wheat and Puccinia triticina [DOI]
  81. 81 Field application of plant resistance inducers (PRIs) to control important root rot diseases and improvement growth and yield of green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) [DOI]
  82. 82 Antimicrobial potential of metabolites extracted from ginseng bacterial endophyte Burkholderia stabilis against ginseng pathogens [DOI]
  83. 83 Factors and Minimal Subsidy Associated with Tea Farmers’ Willingness to Adopt Ecological Pest Management [DOI]
  84. 84 The antagonistic action ofTrichoderma harzianumstrain DGA01 against anthracnose-causing pathogen in mango cv. ‘Carabao’ [DOI]
  85. 85 Infection of Powdery Mildew Reduces the Fitness of Grain Aphids (Sitobion avenae) Through Restricted Nutrition and Induced Defense Response in Wheat [DOI]
  86. 86 Cultural Control: A Sustainable Method of Pest and Disease Control [DOI]
  87. 87 Biological Control of Root knot Nematode, Meloidogyne incognita Using Nematode Antagonist in Tomato [DOI]
  88. 88 The Significance of Bacillus spp. in Disease Suppression and Growth Promotion of Field and Vegetable Crops [DOI]

Cited by 16

Functional Response and Parasitism by Cotesia sesamae (Cameron) on Larvae of Tarucus rosacea (Austaut) From Iraq

Husien Ali Al Amery ‎, M. A. Al-etby · Indian Journal of Entomology · 2026

Shifting disease dynamics: effect of climate change on plant pathogens and their management in field crops

Beatrice Farda, Enrico Sabbi, Ramila Fares · Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology · 2026

Plant Disease Resistant in the Triticum

Abdulkreem Alsalmo, Tareq Hamijo, Mukaddes Kayim · Agricultural Sciences · 2025

Horticultural crops' biotic stresses in the present climatic scenario

Elizabeth Temitope Alori, Ayibanoa Lekoo Ibaba, Glory Adesola Alabi · Biotic Stress Tolerance in Horticultural Crops · 2025

Bio-Control Agents: A Sustainable Approach for Enhancing Soil Nutrients Use Efficiency in Farming

Ponmurugan Karuppiah, Kamali Joshna Thayalan, Gopukumar Sivakumar Thangam · Bio-control Agents for Sustainable Agriculture · 2025

Commercialization of Entomopathogenic Fungi

Mansi Kothari, Sardul Singh Sandhu · Frontiers in Entomopathogenic Fungi · 2026

Next-Gen Strategies in Host Plant Resistance to Insects: Breakthroughs and Future Horizons

Poonam Jasrotia, Pritam Kumari, Prem Lal Kashyap · Cutting Edge Technologies for Developing Future Crop Plants · 2025

Elicitors in Plant Biology: Types and Defense Mechanisms

Ehtisham Hassan Khan, Waqas Liaqat, Muhammad Faheem Jan · Sustainability Sciences in Asia and Africa · 2025

Showing 8 of 16 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

72

Page views

0

PDF downloads

27

Outbound clicks

16

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.