Genome exploration and ecological competence are key to developing effective Pseudomonas -based biocontrol inoculants

Numerous plant-beneficial Pseudomonas strains have been isolated and characterized for their ability to control plant pathogens and the diseases they cause under controlled conditions. Only a few have, however, demonstrated consistent field efficacy. Better exploitation of genomic information and consideration of the ecological competence of strains of interest could help overcome this major inconsistency. In this minireview, we will discuss these two important aspects that we consider crucial in the development of effective Pseudomonas biocontrol inoculants. We will first explore how the increasing availability of genomic data can empower researchers who study Pseudomonas-mediated biocontrol to better understand the mechanisms at play. We will then discuss the key roles played by ecological competence in the successful development of Pseudomonas-based biocontrol inoculants and how researchers can better select ecologically competent strains. A better understanding of these factors could help accelerate the development of effective Pseudomonas inoculants and prevent wasting precious time and resources performing field experiments with strains that have little chance to succeed.