Abstract

Preeti Chandurkar*, Tanuja Murab, Anjali Choudhary, Nidhi Tripathi, Nidhi Gujar and
Shaishavee Saini

ABSTRACT

Biocontrol using antagonistic bacteria has been considered as an alternative strategy to agrochemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment. Secondary metabolites with biocontrol properties have been reported from diverse members of the beneficial rhizosphere flora; however, those produced by the fluorescent pseudomonads have received the most attention. Pseudomonas fluorescens produce a variety of inhibitory metabolites like indole-3- acetic acid, siderophores, phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA), pyocyanin, 2- acetamidophenol, pyrrolnitrin, pyoluteorin, Phenazine-1-Carboxylic Acid, 2, 4- diacetylphloroglucinol (2, 4-DAPG), viscosinamide, etc. Among these 2, 4-DAPG acts as a good potential biocontrol agent for controlling plant diseases. It exhibits biocontrol activity against phytopathogens such as oomycetes (particularly Pythium spp.), fungi (Fusarium oxysporum, Gaeumannomyces, graminis, Rhizoctonia solani, Thielabiopsis basicola etc.), and to a lesser extent bacteria (e.g. Pectobacterium carotovorum) and nematodes (e.g. Meloidogyne spp.). This article focuses on antimicrobial metabolites 2, 4- diacetylphloroglucinol produced by fluorescent pseudomonads, discusses their role in suppressing diseases of important crops and reviews the prospects of physiochemical factors influencing production to improve the efficacy of these biocontrol agents.