Chaetomium sp.: The Untapped Natural Resource

Abstract

Nowadays constraints on plant disease control practices especially those on the use of pesticides, biological control is increasingly occupying the minds of scientists all over the world as they are eco-friendly and cost effective. However, a number of key fungicides have been withdrawn from the market because of environment pollution, health hazards, phytotoxicity, development of resistance by the pathogens and also due to exorbitant cost of such chemical. Research and development of biological control agents for use against plant diseases have been undertaken for several years in both government and private sectors, as natural agents are needed to take the place of chemical fungicides. The implementation of practical integrated biological control technology to control plant diseases has been successfully introduced to growers by using new broad spectrum biological fungicides from Chaetomium. Bio-control technology of plant diseases has successfully been demonstrated, either completely or partially, when integrated with other control measures for appropriate disease management. Biological products are useful, not only for the protection against plant diseases, but can also be used for curative effects of plant diseases, and also promote plant growth.
Keywords: Chaetomium sp., morphology, antibiotics, ISR, plant growth promotion