Entomopathogenic fungi and their relevance in sustainable agriculture: A review

Abstract

The use of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) like Beauveria, Metarhizium, Lecanicillium, and Isaria is upsurging in recent years for the management of crop insect pests. EPF are considered better than synthetic insecticides as they are safe for humans, sustainable to the environment, and target-specific in nature. Many of these EPF are pathogenic to economically important insect pests and thus are capable of controlling them. They are cheaper in long run, show lesser residual effects, and are able to overcome the problem of resistance. EPF degrades the host cuticle and proliferates in hemolymph as hyphal bodies, secreting the toxins responsible for the death of host insects. The later saprophytic growth leads to the production of fungal spores capable of reinfecting other hosts. Different commercial formulations of EPF are available globally such as liquid formulation, wettable powder, suspensible granules, and so on. These available formulations under different trade names can be used for several crops and pests at the recommended dosage to obtain optimum results. The storage conditions should be maintained to retain the viability of EPF. Modern biotechnological interventions could be vital in enhancing the efficacy of these entomopathogens by manipulating their traits. Specialized researches are necessary to understand the interaction between EPF, host insects, crops, and their environment in order to explore the best formulation of mycoinsecticides. This review explores the overview of EPF, its mode of action, significance, commercial formulations, future prospects, and the summary of recent findings. Readers could realize the essence of EPF in sustainable agriculture through this review.