Prospects for the Use of Antimicrobial Peptides as Next-Generation Biopesticides

Pathogenic fungi and bacteria cause plant diseases that reduce crop yields and deteriorate the quality of agricultural products. The use of chemical pesticides is the most effective way to control plant diseases in agriculture. However, their excessive and improper use negatively affects the environment and human health. In this regard, the main task facing modern agricultural science is to find and employ novel, alternative, environmentally friendly means of disease control, which can be included in an integrated crop protection system. Such means are biopesticides—pathogen control agents of natural origin. The most promising candidate molecules for use as biopesticides are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs)—components of innate immunity of plants and animals. The review discusses the main characteristics of plant AMPs and their mechanism of action and antimicrobial properties. Special attention is paid to the advantages of AMPs compared to antibiotics—rapid action, lower rate of resistance development in pathogens compared to antibiotics, ability to inhibit the growth of different groups of pathogens, immunomodulatory activity, synergistic action of peptides with each other and with antibiotics and fungicides, and biodegradability in nature without the formation of toxic products. The review considers the available data on the use of AMPs and their functionally significant γ-cores in the form of sprays to improve plant resistance to pathogens. Studies on the use of hybrid peptides combining antimicrobial and elicitor domains to increase plant resistance and immune status are also described. The available AMP production strategies are summarized, as well as the problems encountered so far in the use of AMPs as next-generation biopesticides.