S14 - Session O2 - Keynote: Biological control of plant pathogens in greenhouse crops

Authors: Monica Höfte *

Greenhouse crops are susceptible to a variety of pathogens and new and re-emerging diseases are increasingly observed. Recent examples from Europe include fusarium wilts and other soilborne diseases on leafy vegetables, crazy roots and viral diseases on tomato and cucumber, and oomycete diseases in hydroponics, to name just a few. Disease development in greenhouse crops is enhanced by intensive production, lack of crop rotation, shortage of fungicides and fungicide resistance development, international trade of seeds, and climate change. Greenhouse crops are ideally suited for disease management using biological control because these crops often have a high economic value, environmental conditions can be controlled, and chemical control strategies are not or no longer available or ineffective. Most commercially available bioprotectants developed for greenhouse crops contain Bacillus or Trichoderma isolates, with activity against a wide range of pathogens. In addition, a few highly specific biocontrol products are available. Interesting new developments are the use of mild strains to control virus diseases and bacteriophages to control bacterial diseases. Although there is a great need for additional new products, commercialization is hampered by the stringent regulatory framework for microbial biocontrol agents, especially in Europe. These aspects will be further discussed.