The potential of bacterial biocontrols in managing finger millet blast disease and promoting growth: A review

Finger millet plays a crucial role as a food crop in Ethiopia; however, its production is considerably threatened by blast disease caused by Magnaporthe grisea. Effective management of the disease is critical to reduce yield losses, and biological control has emerged as a promising alternative to tr...

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Main Authors: Melkamu Andargie, Merkuz Abera, Tesfaye Alemu, Berhanu Bekele
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:The Microbe
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950194625001402
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author Melkamu Andargie
Merkuz Abera
Tesfaye Alemu
Berhanu Bekele
author_facet Melkamu Andargie
Merkuz Abera
Tesfaye Alemu
Berhanu Bekele
author_sort Melkamu Andargie
collection DOAJ
description Finger millet plays a crucial role as a food crop in Ethiopia; however, its production is considerably threatened by blast disease caused by Magnaporthe grisea. Effective management of the disease is critical to reduce yield losses, and biological control has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional methods. This review examines the potential of biocontrol strategies in the management of finger millet blast while also promoting plant growth. Beneficial microorganisms, including bacterial species like Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis, as well as fungal antagonists such as Trichoderma spp., have shown effectiveness in inhibiting Magnaporthe grisea through mechanisms like antibiosis, competition, parasitism, and the induction of systemic resistance. Moreover, these biocontrol agents support plant health by improving growth and resilience. To maximize their potential, more research is necessary to improve the use of biocontrol agents in various environments, including the application of genetically modified microorganisms for the production of secondary metabolites. It is essential to carry out molecular characterization, clarify the mechanisms of biocontrol, and identify the key genes associated with enzyme activity and the generation of bioactive compounds. Furthermore, investigations should focus on their impact on promoting plant growth. Attention must also be directed toward increasing production capacity and the commercialization of microbial biopesticides. Progress in these fields is crucial for the creation of sustainable and effective disease management strategies in finger millet farming.
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spelling doaj-art-2f46004dcd114782ae0b1b4b79a7316c2025-08-20T02:27:20ZengElsevierThe Microbe2950-19462025-06-01710037210.1016/j.microb.2025.100372The potential of bacterial biocontrols in managing finger millet blast disease and promoting growth: A reviewMelkamu Andargie0Merkuz Abera1Tesfaye Alemu2Berhanu Bekele3Departmeny of Biology, Collage of Science, Bahir Dar University, P. O. box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Department of Plant Sciences, Collage of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P. O. box 5501, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Corresponding author at: Departmeny of Biology, Collage of Science, Bahir Dar University, P. O. box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.Department of Plant Sciences, Collage of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P. O. box 5501, Bahir Dar, EthiopiaDepartment of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O.box: 1176, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaAmbo Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, P. O. box 37, Ambo, EthiopiaFinger millet plays a crucial role as a food crop in Ethiopia; however, its production is considerably threatened by blast disease caused by Magnaporthe grisea. Effective management of the disease is critical to reduce yield losses, and biological control has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional methods. This review examines the potential of biocontrol strategies in the management of finger millet blast while also promoting plant growth. Beneficial microorganisms, including bacterial species like Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis, as well as fungal antagonists such as Trichoderma spp., have shown effectiveness in inhibiting Magnaporthe grisea through mechanisms like antibiosis, competition, parasitism, and the induction of systemic resistance. Moreover, these biocontrol agents support plant health by improving growth and resilience. To maximize their potential, more research is necessary to improve the use of biocontrol agents in various environments, including the application of genetically modified microorganisms for the production of secondary metabolites. It is essential to carry out molecular characterization, clarify the mechanisms of biocontrol, and identify the key genes associated with enzyme activity and the generation of bioactive compounds. Furthermore, investigations should focus on their impact on promoting plant growth. Attention must also be directed toward increasing production capacity and the commercialization of microbial biopesticides. Progress in these fields is crucial for the creation of sustainable and effective disease management strategies in finger millet farming.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950194625001402Biological controlBlast diseaseFinger milletMagnaporthe griseaSustainable agriculture
spellingShingle Melkamu Andargie
Merkuz Abera
Tesfaye Alemu
Berhanu Bekele
The potential of bacterial biocontrols in managing finger millet blast disease and promoting growth: A review
The Microbe
Biological control
Blast disease
Finger millet
Magnaporthe grisea
Sustainable agriculture
title The potential of bacterial biocontrols in managing finger millet blast disease and promoting growth: A review
title_full The potential of bacterial biocontrols in managing finger millet blast disease and promoting growth: A review
title_fullStr The potential of bacterial biocontrols in managing finger millet blast disease and promoting growth: A review
title_full_unstemmed The potential of bacterial biocontrols in managing finger millet blast disease and promoting growth: A review
title_short The potential of bacterial biocontrols in managing finger millet blast disease and promoting growth: A review
title_sort potential of bacterial biocontrols in managing finger millet blast disease and promoting growth a review
topic Biological control
Blast disease
Finger millet
Magnaporthe grisea
Sustainable agriculture
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950194625001402
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