Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

A generic theoretical model for biological control of foliar plant diseases

Jeger, Michael J., Jeffries, Peter, Elad, Y., Xu, Xiang-Ming (2009) A generic theoretical model for biological control of foliar plant diseases. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 256 (2). pp. 201-214. ISSN 0022-5193. (doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2008.09.036) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:28493)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2008.09.036

Abstract

We have developed a generic modelling framework to understand the dynamics of foliar pathogen and biocontrol agent (BCA) populations in order to predict the likelihood of successful biocontrol in relation to the mechanisms involved. The model considers biocontrol systems for foliar pathogens only and, although it is most applicable to fungal BCA systems, does not address a specific biocontrol system. Four biocontrol mechanisms (competition, antibiosis, mycoparasitism and induced resistance) were included within the model rubric. Because of the wide range of mechanisms involved we use Trichoderma/Botrytis as an exemplar system. Qualitative analysis of the model showed that the rates of a BCA colonising diseased and/or healthy plant tissues and the time that the BCA remains active are two of the more important factors in determining the final outcome of a biocontrol system. Further evaluation of the model indicated that the dynamic path to the steady-state population levels also depends critically on other parameters such as the host–pathogen infection rate. In principle, the model can be extended to include other potential mechanisms, including spatio-temporal heterogeneity, fungicide effects, non-fungal BCA and strategies for BCA application, although with a cost in model tractability and ease of interpretation.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2008.09.036
Uncontrolled keywords: Epidemiology; Biocontrol; Inter-fungal interactions; Basic reproductive number; Steady-state analysis
Subjects: Q Science
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Biosciences
Depositing User: Susan Davies
Date Deposited: 23 Nov 2011 14:49 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:06 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/28493 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Jeffries, Peter.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.