Summary
This narrative review synthesises evidence on microbial secondary metabolites as biological control agents against biotic stressors in crops. Whilst laboratory studies demonstrate promise for microbial inoculants in enhancing plant stress tolerance, the authors identify a critical gap: field performance remains inconsistent and unpredictable. The review emphasises the need for bridging this lab-field divide and explores whether combining microbial extracts with inoculants could improve effectiveness in practical agricultural contexts.
Regional applicability
The review's findings are globally relevant but require contextualisation for United Kingdom conditions. Adoption of microbial inoculants in UK farming would depend on understanding performance under temperate climate conditions, soil types, and typical crop management systems—data which this review suggests remain limited. Transfer of recommendations would require field validation trials in UK agricultural environments.
Key measures
Comparative effectiveness of microbial agents in secondary metabolite production; plant tolerance to biotic stress; consistency of microbial performance across lab and field environments
Outcomes reported
This review examined the comparative effectiveness of microbial secondary metabolites in enhancing plant tolerance to biotic stress (pests, diseases, weeds) across laboratory and field settings. The study evaluated whether microorganisms produce consistent secondary metabolites and maintain comparable efficacy between controlled and field conditions.
Topic tags
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