Annals of Microbiology

, Volume 57, Issue 4, pp 481–494 | Cite as

Bacillus thuringiensis beyond insect biocontrol: plant growth promotion and biosafety of polyvalent strains

  • Noura Raddadi
  • Ameur Cherif
  • Hadda Ouzari
  • Massimo Marzorati
  • Lorenzo Brusetti
  • Abdellatif Boudabous
  • Daniele Daffonchio
Ecological and Environmental Microbiology Reviews
Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

The entomopathogenic bacteriumBacillus thuringiensis is widely used for the control of many agricultural insect pests and vectors of human diseases. Several studies reported also on its antibacterial and antifungal activities. However, to our knowledge there were no studies dealing with its capacity to act as a plant growth promoting bacterium. This review surveys the potential ofB. thuringiensis as a polyvalent biocontrol agent, a biostimulator and biofertiliser bacterium that could promote the plant growth. Also, discussed is the safety ofB. thuringiensis as a bacterium phylogenetically related toBacillus cereus the opportunistic human pathogen andBacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax.

Key words

Bacillus thuringiensis PGPR biocontrol biostimulation biofertilisation safety 
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Copyright information

© University of Milan and Springer 2007

Authors and Affiliations

  • Noura Raddadi
    • 1
  • Ameur Cherif
    • 2
  • Hadda Ouzari
    • 2
  • Massimo Marzorati
    • 1
  • Lorenzo Brusetti
    • 1
  • Abdellatif Boudabous
    • 2
  • Daniele Daffonchio
    • 1
  1. 1.Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Alimentari e MicrobiologicheUniversità degli StudiMilanoItaly
  2. 2.Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolecule ActivesFaculté des Sciences de TunisTunisTunisia

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