ABSTRACT
38Biological control is the way to protect plants against pathogen by controlling factors that influence growth of plants. Plant roots interact with other microorganisms present in the soil or present on any substrate and hence create rhizosphere. The interaction between roots, soil, and microorganism is by chemical, biological, and sometimes physical. Commonly plants have an association with their roots known as mycorrhizae. Mycorrhiza is defined as a mutualistic association of plants with soil-borne fungi. Arbuscular mycorrhiza is considered more common type of such an association. This association saves plants from different pathogens by acting as biocontrol agents. Many studies revealed that many factors affect the efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as a biocontrol agent. These factors are soil moisture, soil content, genotype of host, inoculum of mycorrhiza, inoculation time of mycorrhiza, virulence of mycorrhizal species, inoculation potential of pathogen, and microflora of soil. Mycorrhizal association helps plants in uptake of mineral nutrients, promotes growth, inhibits soil-borne pathogen, competes with pathogen for space, photosynthates and nutrient’s uptake, and increases resistance of the plant against such pathogens.
