Write notes on Mycofungicides and mycoweedicides.
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Answer:
Explanation:
Mycofungicides and fungal biofertilizers. ... Mycofungicides and fungal biofertilizers have been promoted for agricultural use because of their ability to control plant diseases and their ability to increase crop production in an environmentally friendly manner
Fungi possess a number of characteristics that make them potentially ideal bio control agents. Firstly, many saprophytic species antagonize, representatives of all the pest organisms, including plant pathogenic fungi, weeds and insects. Secondly, fungi can be readily grown in culture so that large quantities can be economically produced for release, mainly as spores or mycelial fragments, into the environment.
These inoculants then germinate or grow to produce active mycelium which can parasitize or otherwise inhibit the pest without damaging the non-target organisms. Fungi also survive for relatively long periods as resting bodies, and can then germinate to grow and control the target population thereby making continual re-inoculation with the bio-control agent unnecessary.
Example of Bio Control Agents Used Commercially:
1. Trichoderma harzianum—White rot onion
2. Phlebia gigantean—Heterbasidion root rot pine
3. Agrobacterium radiobactor var. radiobactor—Crown gall rose
4. Sporidesmium sclerotivorum—Lettuce drop lettuce
5. Talaromyces flavus—Damping off sugarbeet.
Use of Fungi to Control Insect Pest:
Over 400 species of fungi attack insects and mites, so there is great potential for the use of these organisms as biological insecticides. As insect bio control agents, fungi are markedly superior to other microorganisms because they are generally non-specific in their action and are useful against a wide range of insect pests.
Most of the so-called entomopathogenic fungi are phycomycetes and Deuteromycetes. Spores of these fungi attack either the external or gut cuticle of their insect hosts. They then germinate and hyphae penetrate the haemocoel. Death may result from the production of a toxin by the fungus.
Weedicides. Weeds are unwanted plants growing among wanted crops and compete with crop plants for sunlight, nutrients, water etc. ... Weedicides are the chemicals which are sprayed over field to get rid of weeds.