ABSTRACT
Fungi are the most common infectious agents of plant diseases, resulting in huge financial losses for both farmers and societies. Synthetic chemicals are used to treat most plant fungal infections. However, the widespread use of these chemicals has developed fungal resistance in plants, generated residues in fruits, plants and the environment, and has a negative impact on human health and the ecosystem. This has spurred a search for biodegradable and environmentally acceptable plant bioactive compounds. Organic products have been studied to see whether they can be used as a safe alternative to synthetic chemicals in the treatment and control of plant diseases. The products are safe for human health and the environment. Biofungicides are biological fungi (pest) control agents that are one of the safe alternatives for sustainable agricultural productivity and environmental quality. It is crucial to pay attention to the way these environmentally friendly biofungicides are formulated and applied if they're to be successful against disease-causing fungus in agricultural plants. Biofungicides have a number of advantages over chemical fungicides, including the fact that they are biodegradable, less expensive and leave no toxic residues. In this chapter, we have exclusively discussed the nature, sources, classification, extraction, purification and application of biofungicides as well as its health, environmental and eco-safety profile. Furthermore, the advances and prospects in biofungicide technologies are outlined. The use of biofungicides as a sustainable alternative for the management of plant fungal infections is encouraged based on the findings of this chapter.
