Role of Rhizobacteria in Biological Control of Plant Diseases

Pests such as microbial pathogens, insects, and weeds invade agricultural crops, causing significant losses in plant yield and quality. Disease supression can be achieved through management practices, such as use of crop rotation, soil amendments, and soil solarization. To combat these pests, producers basically rely on chemicals. In 1998, about $1.4 billion was spent on herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides throughout the world for control of diseases.