Figure 1.

Biotechnological aspects of microbial volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They are produced by fungi and bacteria and belong to diverse chemical classes that can be identified by several techniques, such as gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS). These molecules have great biotechnology potential as plant growth promoters and phytopathogen inhibitors, and many studies have demonstrated such effects in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, it has become possible to develop bioproducts to be applied in the field and thereby reduce the use of agrochemicals. Nevertheless, some questions about the use of microbial VOCs as biotechnological products need to be answered. Moreover, although several beneficial microorganisms and bioactive VOCs have been described, the molecular mechanisms of action of these compounds remain poorly understood.