Blog post

Fungi as Biocontrol Agents

Protecting the world’s food supply from agricultural pests

The fruits, vegetables, and grains we eat are survivors of an ongoing battle between plants and the pests that ravage them. Every year, up to 40% of global crop production is lost to various insects, fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, and weeds throughout the different stages of their growth and storage, leaving millions of people without enough food to eat.

Why it's important

The damage caused by plant pests poses a major threat to global food security and the environment. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) estimates that plant diseases annually cost the global economy over $220 billion, and damage due to invasive insects at least $70 billion.¹ Climate change and the increase in global travel and trade have intensified the dispersal of plant pests to new agricultural and forestry ecosystems, which has further exacerbated the problem.

What’s the solution?

To combat plant pests, chemical pesticides and fungicides have become an integral part of agriculture. However, global trends are shifting toward reducing the use of such chemicals due to environmental and human health issues as well as the emergence of resistant pathogens.² In response to these concerns, biocontrol has been proposed as an alternative form of pest management. This strategy provides a sustainable, environmentally friendly method to control plant pests by using natural enemies (eg, predators, parasitoids, pathogens, competitors) to reduce the population of harmful target species. Fungi, in particular, have been identified as an attractive biocontrol agent as they have high reproductive rates, short regeneration times, and the ability to survive in the environment during the lean season.

How we can help

As the leading developer and supplier of authenticated biological materials, ATCC provides the scientific community with access to an expansive collection of credible materials needed to support biocontrol research applications. Our diverse collection of fungi encompasses over 400 strains with potential biocontrol ability and ATCC offers opportunities for commercial use licensing.

• Entomophagous biocontrol agents – kill harmful insects and mites
• Fungal antagonist/mycoparasite biocontrol agents – kill other pathogenic fungi
• Nematophagous biocontrol agents – kill harmful worms that attack plant roots
• Post-harvest disease biocontrol agents – protect fruits and vegetables from post-harvest disease
• Bioherbicide agent – kills unwanted weeds

Biocontrol agents not only protect crops and improve their productivity, but they also allow the growth of healthier plants, which is an important aspect of today’s market. ATCC is proud to support the agricultural community in protecting the world’s food supply by providing the fungal strains needed for this essential area of research.

Shahin Ali, PhD

Senior Scientist, Collections, ATCC

Dr. Ali is a Senior Scientist at ATCC with over 13 years of experience in the field of fungal biology and plant-pathogen interactions. Before joining ATCC, Dr. Ali worked for the USDA-ARS at Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Maryland. He obtained his PhD from University College Dublin, Ireland.

Cara Wilder, PhD, ELS

Senior Scientific Writer, ATCC

Dr. Wilder is a Senior Scientific Writer at ATCC. She has a PhD in Microbiology with background experience working with several pathogenic bacterial species in both in vitro and in vivo environments. Dr. Wilder is the author of numerous publications on varying topics of scientific relevance, including quality control, microbial contamination, assay development, proficiency testing, and multidrug resistance.

Dig deeper into our biocontrol resources

Brown, rod-shaped Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria.

Biocontrol

ATCC offers a broad spectrum of fungi and bacteria that can be used in the biological control of microbes and pests that destroy agricultural plants.

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Agricultural Research

Early detection of plant and animal diseases is vital for preventing the loss of agricultural resources and minimizing the economic impact. Discover why authenticated materials are essential for developing accurate assays.

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Botany

Plants are vital for life on Earth. Yet, they are continually put at risk by the introduction and spread of pests and pathogens. Partner with ATCC to discover how we can protect these valuable resources together.

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Bioremediation

We have a variety of microbiological strains for use in research on the bioremediation of contaminated soil and industrial waste sites.

Culture guide

Mycology Culture Guide

Get a detailed mycology guide on the growth, handling, propagation, preservation, and application of yeasts and filamentous fungi.

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Mycology

Mycology strains are vital for advances in biomedical, pharmaceutical, and commercial research, which is why ATCC offers a vast collection of antimicrobial-resistant fungal strains, quality control organisms, and genomic fungal DNA.

References

1. IPPC Secretariat. 2021. Scientific review of the impact of climate change on plant pests – A global challenge to prevent and mitigate plant pest risks in agriculture, forestry and ecosystems. Rome.
FAO on behalf of the IPPC Secretariat. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb4769en

2. Ons L, et al. Combining Biocontrol Agents with Chemical Fungicides for Integrated Plant Fungal Disease Control. Microorganisms 8(12): 1930, 2020. PubMed: 33291811