Members of the genus Burkholderia: good and bad guys

Abstract

In the 1990s several biocontrol agents on that containedBurkholderiastrains were registered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). After risk assessment these products were withdrawn from the market and a moratorium was placed on the registration ofBurkholderia-containing products, as these strains may pose a risk to human health. However, over the past few years the number of novelBurkholderiaspecies that exhibit plant-beneficial properties and are normally not isolated from infected patients has increased tremendously. In this commentary we wish to summarize recent efforts that aim at discerning pathogenic from beneficialBurkholderiastrains.