Biocontrol Properties of Basidiomycetes: An Overview

• Main Authors: Subramaniyan Sivanandhan, Ameer Khusro, Michael Gabriel Paulraj, Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu, Naif Abdullah AL-Dhabi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-01-01
• Series: Journal of Fungi
• Subjects: biocontrol properties; basidiomycetes; anti-phytofungal activity; anti-phytobacterial activity; anti-phytoviral activity; phytonematicidal activity; mosquito larvicidal activity
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/3/1/2

In agriculture, there is an urgent need for alternate ecofriendly products to control plant diseases. These alternate products must possess preferable characteristics such as new modes of action, cost effectiveness, biodegradability, and target specificity. In the current scenario, studies on macrofungi have been an area of importance for scientists. Macrofungi grow prolifically and are found in many parts of the world. Basidiomycetes (mushrooms) flourish ubiquitously under warm and humid climates. Basidiomycetes are rich sources of natural antibiotics. The secondary metabolites produced by them possess antimicrobial, antitumor, and antioxidant properties. The present review discusses the potential role of Basidiomycetes as anti-phytofungal, anti-phytobacterial, anti-phytoviral, mosquito larvicidal, and nematicidal agents.