Biological Control of Plant Diseases: An Evolutionary and Eco-Economic Consideration

Biological control is considered as a promising alternative to pesticide and plant resistance to manage plant diseases, but a better understanding of the interaction of its natural and societal functions is necessary for its endorsement. The introduction of biological control agents (BCAs) alters the interaction among plants, pathogens, and environments, leading to biological and physical cascades that influence pathogen fitness, plant health, and ecological function. These interrelationships generate a landscape of tradeoffs among natural and social functions of biological control, and a comprehensive evaluation of its benefits and costs across social and farmer perspectives is required to ensure the sustainable development and deployment of the approach. Consequently, there should be a shift of disease control philosophy from a single concept that only concerns crop productivity to a multifaceted concept concerning crop productivity, ecological function, social acceptability, and economical accessibility. To achieve these goals, attempts should make to develop green BCAs used dynamically and synthetically with other disease control approaches in an integrated disease management scheme, and evolutionary biologists should play an increasing role in formulating the strategies. Governments and the public should also play a role in the development and implementation of biological control strategies supporting positive externality.

Automated summary

Biological control is a promising alternative to pesticides and plant resistance for managing plant diseases, but a better understanding of its natural and societal functions is needed for endorsement. The introduction of biological control agents alters interactions among plants, pathogens, and environments, leading to cascading effects that influence pathogen fitness, plant health, and ecological function. Evaluating the benefits and costs of biological control from social and farmer perspectives is crucial for sustainable development and deployment, and a shift in disease control philosophy is necessary to consider multiple aspects such as crop productivity, ecological function, social acceptability, and economic accessibility.