Improving performance of microbial biocontrol agents against plant diseases

Reducing dependence on chemical pesticides is considered as an essential challenge for sustainable crop production. The use of microbial biocontrol agents (MBCAs) is a key component of sustainable pest management. Numerous antagonistic microorganisms are known to suppress plant diseases, but their practical application and commercialization are still limited in part due to poor reliability of their efficacy in the field. Although promising MBCAs achieve remarkable disease control in the laboratory or greenhouse, field control is often unsatisfactory. Thus, for MBCAs to be integrated into crop production, their field performance must be improved to provide the cost-effectiveness and efficacy required by growers. In this review, we highlight recent approaches to enhance the field performance of MBCAs.