Biocontrol ability of phenazine-producing strains for the management of fungal plant pathogens: A review

The potential of phenazine-producing strains for the management of fungal and oomycete plant pathogens has been reviewed for the first time. Isolated natural phenazines showed similar, or even higher, antifungal activity in comparison with commercial fungicides. The occurrence and concentration of phenazines strongly depended on the studied strains and the antifungal activity of the strains was found to be dependent on the biosynthesis of phenazines. Except for phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA), most phenazines were found in the secretions below their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and, in general, most strains showed low in vivo inhibitory activities, observing the highest biocontrol ability when using PCA-producing Pseudomonas chlororaphis and P. fluorescens. Most reports focused on the study of Pseudomonas, reducing the structural diversity, and limited the biocontrol screenings to root diseases. The conclusions achieved in this work help to understand the current state of the research field, and reveal new insights on the development of efficient biocontrol strategies using phenazine-producing strains.

Automated summary

The potential of phenazine-producing strains for controlling fungal and oomycete plant pathogens has been reviewed, with isolated natural phenazines showing high antifungal activity. The biosynthesis of phenazines strongly influences the antifungal activity of strains, with PCA-producing Pseudomonas chlororaphis and P. fluorescens showing the highest biocontrol ability.