Epicoccum species: ubiquitous plant pathogens and effective biological control agents

Epicoccum species are ubiquitous ascomycetes. Several species are known to cause plant diseases and some species act as biological control agents against a range of plant pathogens. Accurate identification of Epicoccum species is paramount to a successful disease management program and successful development of biological control products. There are 18 Epicoccum species that are associated with diseases of 46 plant species. The diseases occur in 20 countries with leaf spot as the most commonly reported disease symptom. There are a further five Epicoccum species (E. nigrum, E. layuense, E. dendrobii, E, mezzettii and E. minitans) that have biological control activity against various plant pathogens. Of the five species, Epicoccum nigrum is the most promising and has been shown to reduce incidence and severity of a wide range of plant diseases. The use of bioactive metabolites (e.g. flavipin and epicolactone) from Epicoccum spp. may offer growers a cheap and safe alternative to conventional pesticides which are widely used to manage plant diseases. We review the current knowledge of Epicoccum species, both those species that are plant pathogens, and those species that are biological control agents for plant disease.

Automated summary

Epicoccum species are common ascomycetes, some causing plant diseases and others acting as biological control agents. Accurate identification of Epicoccum species is crucial for successful disease management and biocontrol product development. Among the 18 Epicoccum species associated with plant diseases, leaf spot is the most common symptom, while Epicoccum nigrum shows the most promise as a biocontrol agent against various plant pathogens.