Phytochemicals: Their role and mechanism in suppressing plant pathogenic bacteria

Abstract

Bacteria are unicellular prokaryotic micro-organisms which may be beneficial or harmful to plants. Earlier the infections caused by plant pathogenic bacteria were controlled by applying antibiotics and synthetic chemicals. But over-use of these antibiotics has resulted in evolving of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Thus, it is the need of hour to explore alternative ways to target the bacterial virulence factors. Phytochemicals are extract from plants capable of inhibiting the growth of micro-organisms through various mechanisms, some which already been explained, while some others yet to be. In this review article, we are discussing about various phytochemicals, their source plant, their properties and composition, mode of actions, the bacterial phytopathogens on which they are effective, also some new perspectives of how they are gaining importance in the world of organic pesticides.