<i>Bacillus</i> cyclic lipopeptide; elicitors to induce disease resistance in biological control of plant diseases

Bacillus species have been employed as biocontrol agents in the context of plant disease management. However, the precise mechanisms through which they function remain to be fully elucidated. Cyclic lipopeptides (cLPs) have been deduced to play key roles in the biological control of plant diseases using Bacillus strains. In the early stages of research, the hypothesis was put forward that cLPs could suppress diseases through their antimicrobial activity. However, recent research provides robust evidence that cLPs function primarily as elicitors by inducing disease resistance in host plants. This review introduces recent trends regarding the characteristics of Bacillus cLPs in the context of biological control against plant diseases.