Prospects for the use of endophytic and extremophilic microorganisms in the fight against phytopathogens of agricultural crops (review)

Abstract

During the years with acute epiphytotic conditions, infectious diseases of plants cause significant crop losses. To ensure the productivity of agricultural crops, pesticides are used, that is, substances of chemical nature that protect plants from phytopathogens. Widespread use of pesticides leads to contamination of soil and water resources, changes in the microbiome, disruption of normal plant growth and development. In order to minimize the anthropogenic impact on the territory of the agroindustrial complex and ensure the protection of cultivated plants from biotic stresses, environmentally safe analogues of chemical pesticides have been developed – biopesticides based on bacteria and fungi (have become more widespread), as well as viruses. The review, based on the analysis of 105 scientific sources, examines the advantages of these drugs, describes promising biological control agents that can be included in their composition, namely endophytic (colonize plant tissues) and extremophilic (survive in aggressive environmental conditions) microorganisms. The use of endophytic microorganisms in the fight against infectious diseases of plants is promising due to their ability to have a direct impact on the growth of crops and their induced resistance. The positive effect associated with the use of extremophilic microorganisms is associated with the universality of their use, namely the ability to maintain efficiency in various soil and climatic conditions.