As global health threats increasingly stem from the intersection of human, animal, plant and environmental factors, the One Health approach offers a vital framework for addressing them holistically. Discover how biocontrol contributes to this strategy.
What is one health?
One Health is an approach to securing global health security by addressing the interconnected issues that affect the health of humans, animals, plants and the environment. Recognising the impact that human, animal, plant and ecosystem health can have on each other, the approach is intersectional and comprehensive.
Triggered by multiple factors, the need for such an approach was driven by:
- Rise and resurgence of zoonotic diseases (those which originate in animals)
- Increased resistance to antimicrobials
- Deforestation and habitat loss
- Globalisation increasing the speed and reach of disease spreading
Sustainable agriculture, food security, limiting deforestation, and collaborative research are some of the actions taken under the One Health framework.
Reducing pesticide harm through biocontrol
Biological control (biocontrol) is an approach to sustainable agriculture that utilises living organisms and naturally sourced (or nature-identical) compounds to manage pest populations in agricultural production.
Biocontrol reduces the need for chemical inputs, helping to protect crops while safeguarding biodiversity and maintaining healthy soils. Reducing pesticide use directly impacts the four pillars of the One Health approach – the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment – pesticides are a One Health issue.
Pesticides are used to manage plant health, but cause harm in:
- Humans, as exposure can cause acute or chronic health issues
- Animals, by harming non-target organisms and contaminating water sources
- Plants, by disrupting physiological processes and damaging cells
- The environment, by causing soil degradation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss
Switching to biocontrol helps decrease and sometimes reverse the adverse health impacts caused by pesticides.
An example of biocontrol: natural fungicides
Biological methods of pest management are a critical step in reducing reliance on chemical inputs. Beneficial organisms such as the fungi Trichoderma can be used to suppress pathogens by:
- Parasitising other fungi
- Producing metabolites that inhibit or kill other fungi
- Outcompeting other fungi for nutrients
- Triggering a plant’s defence mechanisms to fight pathogens
Using biological fungicides instead of chemicals lowers chemicals exposure for farmers and consumers, protects ecosystems from pollution and runoff, and helps preserve beneficial soil microbes.
How biocontrol reduces the need for crop antimicrobials
Biological solutions can also help reduce the need for antimicrobial use in crop production by providing natural alternatives. Biocontrol agents, like beneficial bacteria or fungi, can outcompete or inhibit plant pathogens. For example, B. thuringiensis has been used to combat citrus canker, even antibiotic-resistant strains, by attacking the bacteria, eliminating the need for antimicrobials.
Additionally, as biocontrol does not damage soil health, naturally occurring microbes that tackle bacteria can thrive. For instance, populations of the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens – which suppresses many plant pathogens – can be damaged or destroyed by board-spectrum pesticides. Eliminating chemical methods of pest control mitigates the damage to these populations, reducing the likelihood of infections and the need for antibiotic treatment.
By reducing the need for antimicrobials in the field, biocontrol reduces antibiotic residues in the environment, alleviating the selection pressure for antimicrobial-resistant microbes. This directly benefits other sectors including in the One Health approach as resistance genes can transfer to human or animal pathogens in the environment.
How the Portal supports the One Health approach
The CABI BioProtection Portal supports the One Health approach by facilitating the discovery and adoption of safer, environmentally friendly biocontrol products. By reducing reliance on harmful pesticides, the Portal promotes practices that protect biodiversity, human health, and ecosystem stability. As awareness and access grow, tools like this are helping the agricultural industry to solidify its role in safeguarding global health.
Key messages
- Biological control supports a One Health approach by reversing the adverse effects on human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health caused by chemical pest management.
- Biocontrol can help reduce the need for antimicrobial use in crops, helping minimise the likelihood of antimicrobial-resistant strains that could transfer to humans or animal pathogens.
- The CABI BioProtection Portal supports the One Health approach by empowering growers and farmers to find and use biological control products specific to their crop, pest and region.
Further reading
https://www.cabi.org/cabi-publications/one-health-explainer
