Abstract

Late blight caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans is considered to be one of the most severe diseases of potato and tomato worldwide. Whilst current synthetic fungicides are efficient at controlling this disease, they are an environmental and economic burden. In line with EU directives to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides and increase the use of sustainable alternative disease control strategies that can form part of integrated pest management systems, practical biological control solutions are urgently needed. Despite the fact that there has been a large body of scientific research into microorganisms with potential for the biological control of late blight disease, relatively few commercial biocontrol agents, licensed to control late blight, exist. Furthermore, the practical uptake of those in Europe is lower than might be expected, suggesting that such solutions are not yet feasible, or effective. Here we review the scientific literature, focusing on the most recent developments in the hunt for efficient and sustainable biological control of late blight disease. We discuss the progress in our mechanistic understanding of mycoparasiteeprey interactions, in the context of late blight and the challenges and limitations to the use of such knowledge in practical disease control within a European context. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of British Mycological Society.

Keywords

Biological control; Evolutionary IPM; Integrated disease management; IPM; Late blight disease; Potato; Tomato

Published in

Fungal Biology Reviews
2021, volume: 40, pages: 53-69

Authors' information