Secondary Metabolite Production by Bacterial Antagonists

Secondary metabolites are low molecular weight compounds, less than 2.5 KDa produced during the idiophase of bacterial growth. Bacteria belonging to Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Streptomyces are prolific producers of secondary metabolites that include a wide array of naturally produced compounds viz., peptides, polypeptides, cyclic lipopeptides, polyketides, pyrroles, phenazines, phloroglucinols, lantibiotics, bacteriocins, lactones, macrolactone, anthracyclines, alkaloids, quinones, polyenes, pyrone, quinolones, isoquinoline, aminoglycosides, macrolides, bithiazoles, isocoumarins, aminosugars, phospholipids, siderophores and volatiles. These metabolites exhibit remarkable antimicrobial, plant growth regulatory, plant enzyme inhibitory, herbicidal, insecticidal and anti-parasitic properties. All these biological properties paved way for the use of these secondary metabolites as biocontrol agents in agriculture. Use of microbial antagonists and their secondary metabolites in agriculture in the place of agrochemicals could alleviate pollution hazard.