title: Biological control agents: from field to market, problems, and challenges.
abstract: Global food security is vulnerable due to massive growth of the human population, changes in global climate, the emergence of novel/more virulent pathogens, and demands from increasingly discerning consumers for chemical-free, sustainably produced food products. Bacterium-based biological control agents (BCAs), if used as part of an integrated management system, may satisfy the above demands. We focus on the advantages, limitations, problems, and challenges involved in such strategies.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Butler Building, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Siva L S
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Velivelli
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Gent, K.L. Ledeganckstraat, 35B-9000 Gent, Belgium; BCCM/LMG Bacteria Collection - Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Gent, K.L. Ledeganckstraat, 35B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.affiliation: International Potato Center (CIP), Panamericana Sur Km 1, P.O. Box 17-21-1977, Quito, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kromann
authors.affiliation: Université Catholique de Louvain, Earth and Life Institute, Applied Microbiology, Mycology, Croix du Sud, 2 box L7.05.06, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Declerck
authors.affiliation: School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Butler Building, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland. Electronic address: b.doyle@ucc.ie.
authors.forename: Barbara D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Prestwich
mesh_terms: D061046:Biological Control Agents; D001709:Biotechnology; D005523:Food Supply
chemical_list: D061046:Biological Control Agents
keywords: biocontrol; biodiversity; food security; sustainable agriculture