Biocontrol of plant diseases is not an unsafe technology!

Eckhard Koch*, J. Ole Becker, Gabriele Berg, Rüdiger Hauschild, Johannes Jehle, Jürgen Köhl, Kornelia Smalla

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In their opinion paper "The unpredictable risk imposed by microbial secondary metabolites: how safe is biological control of plant diseases?" (J. Plant Dis. Prot. 124, 413-419; https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-017-0109-5), H.B. Deising, I. Gase and Y. Kubo criticize the use of microbial pesticides in plant protection. They point to the ability of microorganisms to form toxic metabolites and fear severe health problems when antagonistic microorganisms are increasingly released into agro-ecosystems. In our opinion, this view fails to reflect the reality because it largely ignores the ecology of microorganisms. In this contribution, we state reasons why biocontrol of plant diseases is a safe technology.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)121-125
JournalJournal of Plant Diseases and Protection
Volume125
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018

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