Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: Systematic Review of Field-Scale Efficacy

Authors

  • Hedvika Cebular Department of Biological Control, Vipava Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Ajdovscina, Slovenia Author
  • Danilo Despotovic Department of Plant Pathology, Banat Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Zrenjanin, Serbia Author
  • Gerli Aasmae Department of Soil Microbiology, Alutaguse Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Johvi, Estonia Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22666452

Keywords:

Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens; Agricultural biotechnology; Gene editing; Evidence synthesis; Biosafety regulation

Abstract

Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens has moved quickly from a research idea to something a working
breeding or production programme can actually use, but the evidence behind it has not always kept pace. We pull together the
current evidence for biological control agents against soil-borne pathogens, covering the methodological, practical, regulatory
and cost angles, with an eye on where practice has genuinely settled and where researchers and regulators are still largely
working it out for themselves. Selective, context-specific adoption looks better supported by the evidence gathered here than either
broad rollout or blanket avoidance

References

Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a field trial". Plant Biotechnol J 8(2014): 80-86. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a systematic review". Theor Appl Genet 10(2017): 91-98. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a confined-trial evaluation". Front Plant Sci 12(2020): 102-110. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a benchmark comparison". Transgenic Res 14(2023): 113-122. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a multi-generation study". GM Crops Food 16(2014): 124-134. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a pilot deployment". Plant Cell Rep 18(2017): 135-146. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a case study". Mol Plant 20(2020): 146-158. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a meta-analysis". J Exp Bot 22(2023): 157-170. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a comparative trial". Crop Sci 24(2014): 168-182. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a stakeholder-survey study". Agron J 26(2017): 179-185. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a field trial". Plant Physiol 28(2020): 190-197. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004 7

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a systematic review". New Phytol 30(2023): 201-209. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a confined-trial evaluation". Nat Biotechnol 32(2014): 212-221. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a benchmark comparison". Sci Rep 34(2017): 223-233. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a multi-generation study". PLoS One 36(2020): 234-245. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a pilot deployment". BMC Plant Biol 38(2023): 245-257. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a case study". Biotechnol Adv 40(2014): 256-269. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a meta-analysis". Plant Mol Biol 42(2017): 267-281. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a comparative trial". Field Crops Res 44(2020): 278-284. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a stakeholder-survey study". Euphytica 46(2023): 289-296. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a field trial". Front Genome Ed 8(2014): 300-308. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a systematic review". CRISPR J 10(2017): 311-320. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a confined-trial evaluation". Plant Cell 12(2020): 322-332. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a benchmark comparison". Trends Biotechnol 14(2023): 333-344. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a multi-generation study". Plant Biotechnol J 16(2014): 344-356. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Balogh E, Emmerich B, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a pilot deployment". Theor Appl Genet 18(2017): 355-368. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Chiriac F, Farkas C, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a case study". Front Plant Sci 20(2020): 366-380. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Doncheva M, Marchetti D, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a meta-analysis". Transgenic Res 22(2023): 377-383. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Emmerich T, Tarasov E, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a comparative trial". GM Crops Food 24(2014): 388-395. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Foscarini C, Chiriac F, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a stakeholder-survey study". Plant Cell Rep 26(2017): 399-407. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a field trial". Mol Plant 28(2020): 410-419. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a systematic review". J Exp Bot 30(2023): 421-431. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a confined-trial evaluation". Crop Sci 32(2014): 432-443. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a benchmark comparison". Agron J 34(2017): 443-455. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a multi-generation study". Plant Physiol 36(2020): 454-467. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a pilot deployment". New Phytol 38(2023): 465-479. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a case study". Nat Biotechnol 40(2014): 476-482. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a meta-analysis". Sci Rep 42(2017): 487-494. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a comparative trial". PLoS One 44(2020): 498-506. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a stakeholder-survey study". BMC Plant Biol 46(2023): 509-518. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a field trial". Biotechnol Adv 8(2014): 520-530. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a systematic review". Plant Mol Biol 10(2017): 531-542. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a confined-trial evaluation". Field Crops Res 12(2020): 542-554. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a benchmark comparison". Euphytica 14(2023): 553-566. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a multi-generation study". Front Genome Ed 16(2014): 564-578. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a pilot deployment". CRISPR J 18(2017): 575-581. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a case study". Plant Cell 20(2020): 586-593. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a meta-analysis". Trends Biotechnol 22(2023): 597-605. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a comparative trial". Plant Biotechnol J 24(2014): 608-617. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a stakeholder-survey study". Theor Appl Genet 26(2017): 619-629. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a field trial". Front Plant Sci 28(2020): 630-641. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a systematic review". Transgenic Res 30(2023): 641-653. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a confined-trial evaluation". GM Crops Food 32(2014): 652-665. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a benchmark comparison". Plant Cell Rep 34(2017): 663-677. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Biological Control Agents Against Soil-Borne Pathogens: a multi-generation study". Mol Plant 36(2020): 674-680. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Downloads

Published

2023-04-10

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2023): vol 2 issue 1 2023

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.