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Biological control of phytopathogens and insect pests in agriculture: an overview of 25 years of research in Uruguay

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Abstract

Plants grow associated with complex communities of organisms, and their development depends largely on management practices, available nutrients in the soil, environmental conditions, and the balanced equilibrium established among all these factors. In unbalanced environments, diseases, insects, and weeds can decrease agricultural productivity or even destroy crops. There is great interest in developing effective and complementary strategies and approaches to include in the integrated management of phytopathogens and pests, such as the application of formulations containing microorganisms with biological control capabilities. In Uruguay, several groups have been studying microbes that can be used as biological control agents, and there has been a clear interest in the implementation of biocontrol strategies. In this regard, Uruguay has taken several steps towards more sustainable agricultural practices, such as the implementation of a registration procedure for biopesticides and biofertilizers, and the creation of the National Plan for Fostering Agroecological Production. A positive outcome of these actions is the increase from only 2 to 13 registered products in the last 10 years. Registered formulations are based on bacteria, fungi, and viruses, including antagonists of plant diseases and entomopathogens for the control of insect pests. More than half of the registered products contain organisms isolated in Uruguay. Additionally, Uruguay occupies the eighth position in the world ranking of land destined for organic production. This review presents a summary of the history and outcomes of biological control research in Uruguay on beneficial microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) able to antagonise and control phytopathogenic fungi, oomycetes, and insect pests.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the support of the following research organisations, financial agencies and research institutes: Programa Nacional de Desarrollo de las Ciencias Básicas (PEDECIBA), Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovación (ANII), Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (SNI), Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable – Ministerio de Educación y Cultura (IIBCE-MEC), Universidad de la República (UdelaR), Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA), Ministerio de Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca (MGAP), AgResearch (AgR), and Bioprotection Research Centre (BPRC), as well as the support of Karina Punschke (DGSA, MGAP).

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  1. All authors, Bajsa, Fabiano and Rivas-Franco, contributed equally to the elaboration of this review.

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  1. Departamento de Bioquímica y Genómica Microbianas, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, Av. Italia 3318, Montevideo, 11600, Uruguay

    Natalia Bajsa & Elena Fabiano

  2. Grupo de Bioinsumos, Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA), Ruta 48 - Km. 10, Las Brujas, Canelones, 90200, Uruguay

    Federico Rivas-Franco

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  1. Natalia Bajsa
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Bajsa, N., Fabiano, E. & Rivas-Franco, F. Biological control of phytopathogens and insect pests in agriculture: an overview of 25 years of research in Uruguay. Environmental Sustainability 6, 121–133 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42398-023-00275-8

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