Cyanobacteria as Mediators of Systematic Resistance for Sustainable Disease Control in Agriculture

Plant diseases pose a serious threat to global food security, and the search for alternative and sustainable approaches for managing plant diseases in agriculture is imperative. Cyanobacteria have been considered as an alternative candidate due to its broad range of metabolic abilities and their mutualistic role for plants as possible biocontrol agents inducing systemic resistance (ISR) against multiple pathogens. This chapter mainly focuses on a comprehensive explanation of the part of cyanobacteria in eliciting systemic resistance in crops and its application in controlling diseases. Bioactive compounds that can either directly inhibit herbivory or trigger responses in other signaling molecules as a method of defense against herbivory are discussed in detail. Further it elaborates various applications of cyanobacteria for the management of diseases (foliar spray, soil amendment, seed treatment) and highlights the advantages and constraints associated with its utilization. By investigating complex molecular mechanisms going on between cyanobacteria and plants and turning into optimization of new strategies to combat diseases, researchers can alleviate the harmful impact of plant diseases on crop yield and address food security at a global scale.