Plant based biotechnology has come to represent a means of mitigating the problems of global food security in the twenty-first century. Products and processes in agriculture are increasingly becoming linked to science and cutting edge technology, to enable the engineering of what are in effect, designer plants. One of the most successful , non-chemical approaches to pest management and disease control is biological control, which seeks a solution in terms of using living organisms to regulate the incidence of pests and pathogens, providing a natural control' while still maintaining the biological balance with the ecosystem.

This volume, (the first of two), addresses the different types of biocontrol for different pests, namely, crop diseases, weeds and nematodes, and details the biology of both the pest and its enemies, which is vital for efficient use of biological control. The book has numerous contributors who are authorities in their fields, and would be an asset to those who have interest in sustainable agriculture and crop productivity.

Biological Control of Crop Diseases Exploiting Genes Involved in Systemic Induced Resistance; P. Vidhyasekaran, et al. Biocontrol of Plant Diseases for Agricultural Sustainability; C.S. Nautiyal. Bacterial Biocontrol Agents and their Role in Plant Disease Management; A.K. Saxena, et al. Exploitation of Protoplast Fusion Technology in Improving Biocontrol Potential; S. Mukerji, K.G. Mukerji. Microbial Iron Chelators: A Sustainable Tool for the Biocontrol of Plant Diseases; S.B. Chincholkar, et al. Antiviral Phytoproteins as Biocontrol Agent for Efficient Management of Plant Virus Diseases; V.K. Baranwal, H.N. Verma. Mycoviruses: A Novel Option for Managing Some Plant Diseases; A.K. Chowdhury, C. Sen. Exploitation of Microorganisms and Viruses as Biocontrol Agents for Crop Disease Management; R. Jeyarajan, S. Nakkeeran. Sustainable Management of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in the Biocontrol of Soil-borne Plant Diseases; M.P. Sharma, A. Adholeya. The Potential of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Associations for Biocontrol of Soil-borne Diseases; P.J. Joseph, P. Sivaprasad. Fungal Antagonists of Phytonematodes; R.K. Walia, R. Vats. Bacterial Antagonists of Phytonematodes; R.K. Walia, et al. Horse Purslane (Trianthema portulacastrum) and its Biocontrol with Fungal Pathogens: An Overview; K.R. Aneja, et al. Biological Control of Weeds with Plant Pathogens; R. Gupta, K.G. Mukerji. Biological Control of Weeds in India; K.P. Jayanth. Biological Control of Rot Diseases of Small Cardamom; J. Thomas. Biocontrol of Pulse Diseases; M.V. Reddy, et al. Biological Control of Pearl Millet Downy Mildew: Present Status and Future Prospects; H.S. Shetty, et al. Biological Control of Major Fungal Diseases of Rice and other Food Grains with Bacterial Antagonists; S.S. Gnanamanickam, et al. Innovative Approaches in Rice Sheath Blight Management; K. Manibhushanrao, U.I. Baby. Index.