Control of Diseases in Field Crops: Status and

Concerns
Susanta Banik1 and Prashant P. Jambhulkar
29.1 Introduction
Biological control has occupied a large space in research arena in recent years for the management
of plant pathogens, weeds and various types of insect and non-insect pests affecting agriculturally
important crops. Over the time it has gained significance and proved to be an essential and major
component in integrated pest, disease and weed management. The term biological control owes its
origin to the late Harry Smith of the University of California, who defined it in connection with insect
pest control as “the suppression of insect populations by the actions of their native or introduced
enemies” (GNANAMANICKAM et al. 2002).
With regard to biological control of plant pathogens, the term was first defined as ‘the
reduction of inoculum density or disease producing activities of a pathogen or parasite in its active
or dormant state, by one or more organisms, accomplished naturally or through manipulation of the
environment, host or antagonist, or by mass introduction of one or more antagonist’ (Baker and Cook,
1974). The above two definitions reflect the core concept behind the term biological control whose
meaning has undergone some changes to keep swiftness with the advanced understanding and
revelation of behaviour and mechanisms of actions of associated organisms. However, later
definitions of many authors broadened the scope of biological control. Cook and Baker (1983)
defined the term as “the reduction in the amount of inoculum or disease-producing activity of a
pathogen accomplished by or through one or more organisms other than man”. These are perhaps
the most widely quoted and accepted definitions of biological control (GNANAMANICKAM et al.
2002).
GARRETT (1965) defined biological control of plant diseases as “any condition under which, or
practice whereby, survival and activity of a pathogen is reduced through the agency of any other
living organism (except man himself) with the result that there is a reduction in the incidence of the
disease caused by the pathogen”.
Progress in molecular biology has been duly considered and that has been captured in the definition
given by US National Academy of Science (NAS 1987). Thus the definition of the term biological
control has been broadened as ‘The use of natural or modified organisms, genes, or gene products to
reduce the effects of undesirable organisms (pests), and to favour desirable organisms such as crops,
trees, animals, and beneficial insects and microorganisms’. According to this definition, use of
transgenic plants developed with the purpose of controlling pests/pathogens/weeds is an example
of biological control. Use of mild strain of plant virus (viz., Tobacco mosaic virus, Citrus tristeza virus
etc.) against the severe strain of the same virus which is referred to as cross-protection is also an
example of biological control (Agrios, 2005). Further use of this broad definition included the use of
the crystalline protein of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner as biological control (Cook, 2007). Probably
this definition of NAS is the broadest possible till date. It is likely that with the advent of
nanotechnology biological control will gain further with another definition.
There have been many other definitions of the term biological control given in recent time. They
either concern only insect pest, disease or their various combinations. Though the definitions are
differently worded, all of them carry the classical thinking of biological control. Van Drieshce and
Bellows (1996) defined biological control involving only insect pests as ‘the use of parasitioid,
predator, pathogen, antagonist, or competitor it would otherwise be’.
 According to SHURTLEFF and AVERRE (1997), biological control refers to ‘disease or pest
control through counter balance of microorganisms and other natural components of the
environment. It involves the control of pests (bacteria, fungi, insects, mites, nematodes, rodents,
weeds, etc.) by means of living predators, parasites, disease-producing organisms, competitive
microorganisms, and decomposing plant material, which reduce the population of the pathogen’.
AGRIOS (2005) defined biological control in simple terms as ‘the total or partial destruction of
pathogen populations by other organisms’.
29.2 Types of biological control
Historically biological control has been practiced to control insects, pathogens and weeds. Though
the core principle remains the same in all, there is a fundamental difference between biocontrol of
plant pathogens/insects and that of weeds. Biocontrol of weeds employs insects and/or pathogens
which are released in the environment to destroy the unwanted plants. In the other hand plants are
favoured and insects/pathogens are suppressed in the former case. There are different types of
biological control found in the literature based on the strategy of use of biocontrol agents. All of the
above-mentioned types may not relate to biocontrol of plant pathogens but their mention would not
be worthless in this section.
There are various ways in which these “natural enemies” or “antagonistic organisms” can be
put to work. The six major ways are by what has been called augmentative biological control, classical
biological control (otherwise known as inoculative biological control), inundative biological control,
manipulative biological control, restorative biological control and conservation biological control.
Augmentative biological control: naturally occurring biocontrol agents (BCAs) are mass cultured
1. and released to supplement the low population already present; in other words to
augment/increase the effect of native BCAs.
Inoculative biological control/classical biological control/ importation biological control: 2.
importation and release of non-native BCAs to suppress a native or non-native organism with
the intention of permanent establishment of BCAs in that area.
Inundative biological control: release of large amount of BCAs to get quick effect on the target 3.
organism without the intention of establishing a permanent population of the applied BCA.
Manipulative biological control: it involves the manipulation of environment so as to enhance the
4. activity of natural BCAs.
Restorative biological control: stimulation of resident population of BCAs using benign
interventions 5. like use of nutritional supplements and additives doing away with repeated
applications of BCAs.
Conservation biological control: enhancement or maintenance of naturally occurring microbial 6.
population including BCAs through cultural manipulations involving identification and remediation of
factors that suppresses natural enemies and management of natural habitat of BCA.populations to
suppress a pest population making it less abundant and thus less damaging than