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Microbial Biofilm: Formation, Quorum Sensing, and Its Applications in Plant Disease Management

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Emerging Trends in Plant Pathology

Abstract

In search of an eco-friendly plant disease management, a ray of hope for sustainability was created after the recognition of microbial strategy on plant surfaces was adapted under adverse environmental conditions in the early 1970s, which are the microbial aggregations termed as biofilms. The assemblage of microbes on plant surfaces are formed due to microbial adhesion, growth, and expansion process, which in turn depends on surface tension, texture, and wettability. The microbial cells in biofilm communicates by various signaling molecules in order to modulate their functional mechanism by controlled release of antibiotic and toxins and in regulation of gene expression through quorum sensing. The microbes that are capable of forming biofilms include various bacteria, yeast, fungi, and symbionts which are not only antagonistic to phytopathogens but also help in enhancement of plant growth and development by acting as a sink for nutrients as a function of site of colonization of plant parts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Pathology, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Nadia, West Bengal, India

    Pravallikasree Rayanoothala, M. Divya, Sunita Mahapatra & Srikanta Das

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  1. Pravallikasree Rayanoothala
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  2. M. Divya
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  3. Sunita Mahapatra
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  4. Srikanta Das
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Pathology, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, India

    Krishna P. Singh

  2. Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agricultural Sciences Dharwad, Dharwad, Karnataka, India

    Shamarao Jahagirdar

  3. Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Birinchi Kumar Sarma

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Rayanoothala, P., Divya, M., Mahapatra, S., Das, S. (2021). Microbial Biofilm: Formation, Quorum Sensing, and Its Applications in Plant Disease Management. In: Singh, K.P., Jahagirdar, S., Sarma, B.K. (eds) Emerging Trends in Plant Pathology . Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6275-4_18

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