Actinomycetes become ‘new weapon’ for sustainable agriculture

Global food demand is expected to surge drastically as the global population grows, reaching 10 billion by 2050.

 

Bogor, West Java  (Indonesia Window) – Global food demand is predicted to increase drastically as the global population grows, reaching 10 billion by 2050.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that agricultural production should increase by 60 percent to meet human food needs, and global food demand.

However, a major challenge looms: plant diseases that reduce crop yields by up to 40 percent annually, resulting in global economic losses of more than 220 billion dollars.

*1 US dollar  = 16,475 rupiahs

This situation is a major focus of attention from a Professor of the Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB),  Prof. Abdjad Asih Nawangsih, in a press conference before her scientific speech entitled ‘The Role and Utilization of Actinomycete Bacteria for Biological Control of Plant Diseases in Support of Sustainable Agriculture’, on Thursday (Sept. 18).

In her presentation, Prof. Abdjad highlighted the history of how plant diseases can trigger humanitarian disasters.

The Great Irish Famine (1845–1846) caused by Phytophthora infestans in potatoes killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions more to migrate. A similar event occurred in India when a brown spot epidemic attacked rice, claiming more than two million lives, she explained.

“These cases serve as a lesson that plant health is not just an agricultural issue, but also concerns human survival,” Prof. Abdjad said.

The Green Revolution and Environmentally Friendly Agriculture

The Green Revolution, which began in the 1960s, successfully boosted food production through prime seeds, fertilizers, and chemical pesticides.

However, same intensification practices have actually given rise to new problems such as pest resistance, environmental degradation, and even human health risks due to pesticide residues.

“Since then, the concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has been introduced, which combines the judicious use of resistant varieties, natural controls, and pesticides. One important instrument of IPM is biological control,” she explained.

Actinomycetes save plants

According to Prof. Abdjad, biological control relies on living organisms as agents to control plant diseases.

Bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens have so far been widely utilized. However, Prof. Abdjad highlighted the enormous potential of the Actinomycete group of bacteria, particularly the Streptomyces genus.

These bacteria have three main mechanisms in protecting plants: competition for space and nutrients with pathogens, production of antimicrobial compounds (antibiosis), and parasitism against pathogens.

Furthermore, Actinomycetes also produce enzymes, phytohormones, and siderophores that not only suppress pathogens but also increase plant resistance.

“The Actinomycete isolates studied were even able to inhibit pathogen growth by up to 76 percent in the laboratory,” Prof. Abdjad said.

Biopesticides

Global awareness of the negative impacts of chemical pesticides is driving the growth of the biopesticide market.

In 2024, the biopesticide market value reached 8.73 billion USD and is expected to surge to 28.61 billion USD by 2032, with an average annual growth rate of 16 percent.

“With their capacity to produce bioactive compounds and phytohormones, Actinomycete is not just a biopesticide, but also a plant growth enhancer. This is a dual-purpose solution that supports sustainable agriculture,” she emphasized.

Prof. Abdjad emphasized the need for continued exploration of Actinomycete, from soil, compost, phyllosphere, to plant tissue.

She is optimistic that research and application of microbial-based biopesticides can be an environmentally friendly alternative to reduce dependence on chemical pesticides.

“In the future, we must build an agricultural system that is both productive and healthy for humans and the environment. Actinomycetes offer us a golden opportunity to achieve this,” she remarked.

Reporting by Indonesia Window