Biological Control of Plant Pathogens

Syed Abuzar possesses a distinguished career spanning 18 years in agricultural sciences, with expertise in Plant Pathology, Nematology, Biocontrol Agents, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Agriculture. Currently serving as the Head of Regulatory Affairs & Registrations-Asia Pacific at Rovensa Group, based in Malaysia, he has previously held roles at prestigious institutions such as ICAR, DBT, and UGC, contributing significantly to various projects. Dr. Syed has been honored with awards from esteemed scientific societies, recognizing his substantial contributions to the field and his advocacy for the farming community. Nassreen Fatima Kacho works as Senior Scientist and Head at KVK Kargil-1, SKUAST-K, Ladakh, India. She completed her B.Sc. in Agriculture from SKUAST Jammu, India, and her Postgraduate and Ph.D. degrees in Plant Pathology from SKUAST-K, Shalimar, Srinagar, Kashmir, India. She joined as an Assistant Professor-cum-Junior Scientist in 2009 at the Regional Agriculture Research Station, Kargil, SKUAST-K, India. With 15 years of experience in research and extension activities, her areas of interest include organic plant protection, mushroom cultivation, and biofertilizers. She has been recognized with the Women Scientist Award and holds one patent.Pravin Pati Tripathi holds B.Sc. (Agriculture) from Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, (UP), India and completed a Master’s Degree in Plant Pathology from T. D. College Jaunpur, India. He has worked at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra as a Subject Matter Specialist (SMS) in the discipline of Plant Protection in 2013 in Arunachal Pradesh, India. He is a member of the Society for Upliftment of Rural Economy and Agricultural Technology Development Society. He is the recipient of an award viz. Best Extension Scientist Award 2017 and 2018, and also received a Commendation certificate from District administration on the occasion of Independence Day 2023 due to his visible performance in Apiculture.Prajna Samal is research scholar currently pursuing her Ph.D. at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, India. She completed her B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture from Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, India in 2020 and earned her M.Sc. in Agriculture with a specialization in Plant Pathology from the College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, India, in 2022. She has successfully cleared the ICAR (AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.)-2023) exam and the ICAR-NET. She has published two research papers in an international journal and one in a national journal. Additionally, she has contributed a few book chapters.Mohd Ashaq is Associate Professor of Botany in the Higher Education Department of the Jammu and Kashmir Government presently posted at Govt Degree College Thannamandi, J&K, India. He completed his M.Sc., M.Phil., and Ph. D degrees in Botany with a specialization in Plant Virology from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India in 1992, 1993, and 1997 respectively. Dr. Ashaq served in Eritrea for 8 years between 2000-2008, finally as Director of Research at Eritrea Institute of Technology, Asmara, State of Eritrea (2006-2008). His publications on Refugees and volunteerism have been translated into French, Portuguese, and Spanish. He is the commissioned member of 5 of 6 IUCN (International Union of Conservation of Nature) commissions. He has presented papers and served as a resource person, invited speaker, and keynote speaker in over 150 conferences, seminars and workshops.Zuby Gohar Ansari holds Doctorate in Plant Physiology and currently serves as an Assistant Professor at B.M. College of Agriculture, Khandwa, under RVSKVV University, Gwalior, India. Her research focuses on abiotic stress in legume crops during research work. Mahendra Kumar Tiwari is currently serving as Senior Agriculture Teacher at Government Hussainabad Inter College, Lucknow, India. He holds academic qualifications including M.Sc. (Agricultural Economics), Ph.D. (Agricultural Economics), and B.Ed. in Agriculture. His special interests lie in promoting horticulture, agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy, cooperatives, organic farming, and milk production within his district, and he has always been dedicated to these pursuits. Dr. Tiwari has three years of experience in providing critical training in crop science and horticulture to trainee teachers at the College of Teacher Education, Lucknow (CTE), India, under the State Council of Educational Research and Training, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow (SCERT), India.

• PrefaceAbout the Authors1. Concept of Biological Control and Its FoundationsDefinitions and Importance of Biological Control in Plant PathologyPrinciples of Plant Disease Management with BioagentsHistory of Biological Control in AgricultureMerits and Demerits of Biological Control Approaches2. Biological Interactions in Plant-Pathogen ControlOverview of Types of Biological InteractionsCompetition and Mycoparasitism in Biological ControlExploitation for Hypovirulence and Rhizosphere ColonizationCompetitive Saprophytic Ability and AntibiosisInduced Resistance and Mycorrhizal AssociationsOperational Mechanisms in Biological Control and Their Relevance3. Factors Governing Biological ControlRole of Physical Environment in Biocontrol SuccessInfluence of Agroecosystem on Pathogen and Antagonist DynamicsOperational Mechanisms and Their Impact on Biological ControlCultural Practices Enhancing Biocontrol Efficacy4. Relationships Between Pathogens, Antagonists, and BioagentsEcological and Biochemical Dynamics of Pathogen-Antagonist RelationshipsBiocontrol Agents and Their Comparative ApproachesResident vs Introduced Antagonists in Biological ControlBiological Control of Soil-Borne and Foliar DiseasesCompatibility of Bioagents with Agrochemicals and Other Microbial Antagonists5. Commercial Production and Delivery Systems of BioagentsTechniques and Processes for Commercial Production of AntagonistsDelivery Systems for Biocontrol AgentsApplication Strategies and Monitoring of Biocontrol EfficacyChallenges in Scaling Production and Deployment6. Integration of Biological Control in Modern Farming SystemsRole of Biological Control in Integrated Disease Management (IDM)Integration of Biocontrol Agents in Integrated Pest Management (IPM)Biological Control in Organic Farming Systems7. Biopesticides and Market ApplicationsOverview of Biopesticides in Plant Pathogen ControlBiopesticides Available in the Market and Their ApplicationsRegulatory Standards and Quality Control of Biocontrol AgentsReferences

“This book is a well-conceived and timely contribution to plant protection science. The subject of biological control has gained renewed importance in the era of sustainable agriculture, and this volume succeeds in presenting the concept in a simple yet scholarly manner. What stands out is the book’s effort to integrate scientific theory with field applications, thereby making it a practical guide for those engaged in crop protection.”— Wajid Hasan, Bihar Agricultural University, India