ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the biocontrol potential and applications of extremophiles for managing phytopathogens as well as for plant-growth promotion that are reviewed and discussed for improving the crop productivity through sustainable agriculture. Agriculture forms the base of human survival and remains the mainstay of the livelihood for the world. A major workforce in many countries including India is mostly dependent on agriculture and its related activities. Only a few reports are available regarding the use of extremophiles as potential biocontrol agents for crop disease management and in improving crop productivity. A few of the strains belonging to different microbial species were isolated from diverse high-temperature environments such hot springs, compost and from the rhizospheric soil of arid regions to access their biocontrol potential against different types of plant pathogens. Microbial biocontrol agents use several modes of action such as competition, antibiosis using the production of lytic enzymes and several secondary metabolites.
