Biological Control of Plant Pathogens: Present Status and Perspectives in Italy

Interest in the biological control of plant pathogens has been increasing in Italy in the last few years. Current or completed research programmes at some University and/or CNR (National Research Council) Institutions concern the following topics: a) biological control of crown gall with Agrobacterium radlobacter strain 84; b) biocontrol of some forestry diseases caused by fungi; c) integrated biological control of grey mould on grapevine; d) biocontrol of Fusarium dry rot on maize and sorghum and of Rhizoctonia rot on eggplant and tomato with Trichoderma viride; e) seed and root≪ bacterization ≫ as a means of biological control of some fungal diseases of horticultural plants; f)≪ suppressive ≫ effect of some Italian soils to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi : g) biologically induced resistance against bacterial, fungal and viral diseases. In this contribution, the results obtained are reported, together with comments on the prospects for practical application of each type of biological control. Evaluation of the reduction in the use of pesticides against the same pathogens is not currently possible, owing to lack of data (except for programmes b) and c) above). Biological control will only become a common and widespread agricultural practice if a number of conditions are satisfied, including the establishment of registration guidelines for microbial and viral pesticides. The criteria for the evaluation of biological control organisms in the agricultural environment must be revised and the technical-legislative problems must be solved. A Commission in the European Community is currently examining the question.