Pests are responsible for heavy crop losses and reduced food supplies. This comprehensive book covers the gamut of biocontrol which offers a practical and environmental friendly approach to disease control in plants.

Section: A general biology of parasitism.- 1. Co-evolution of pathogens, mechanism involved in pathogenesis and biocontrol of plant diseases: an overview.- Section: B  Applications of biological and natural agents.- 2. Stilbenes: biomarkers of grapevine resistance to disease of high relevance for agronomy, oenology and human health.- 3. Alternatives to synthetic fungicides using small molecules of natural origin.- 4. Fungi as biological control agents of plant-parasitic nematodes.- 5. Secondary metabolites and plant defence .- 6. Trends for commercialization of biocontrol agent (biopesticide) products.- 7. The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Biological Control of Plant Pathogens: Logistics of New Research Initiatives.- 8. Plant chemicals in post harvest technology for management of fungal, mycotoxin and insect contamination of food commodities.- 9. Ganoderma diseases of woody plants of Indian arid zone and their biological control.- 10. Plant defence against heavy metal stress.- Section : C  Host parasite interaction.- 11. Gall phenotypes – product of plant cells defensive responses to the inducers attack.- 12. The role of roots in plant defence.- Section :D  Mechanism and signal transduction.- 13. Activation of grapevine defense mechanisms: theoretical and applied approaches.- 14. Plant cyclotides: an unusual protein family with multiple functions.- 15. Methyl jasmonate as chemical elicitor of induced responses and anti-herbivory resistance in young conifer trees.- 16. Pathogen-responsive cis-elements.- 17. Pathogenesis Related Proteins in Plant Defense Response.