scholarly journals Endophytic Entomopathogenic Fungi: A Valuable Biological Control Tool against Plant Pests

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spiridon Mantzoukas ◽  
Panagiotis A. Eliopoulos

Among the non-chemical insect control methods, biological control is one of the most effective human and environmentally friendly alternatives. One of the main biological control methods is the application of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF). Today, biological crop protection with EPF plays a key role in projects for the sustainable management of insect pests. EPF have several advantages over conventional insecticides, including cost-effectiveness, high yield, absence of harmful side-effects for beneficial organisms, fewer chemical residues in the environment and increased biodiversity in ecosystems. Apart from direct application as contact bioinsecticides, EPF are able to colonize plants as endophytes acting not only as pest and disease control agents but also as plant growth promoters. The present paper presents an outline of the biocontrol potential of several EPF, which could be harnessed for the development of new integrated pest Management (IPM) strategies. Emphasis is given on benefits of endophytic EPF, on issues for practical application and in fields in need of further research. Our findings are discussed in the context of highlighting the value of entomopathogenic fungal endophytes as an integral part of pest management programs for the optimization of crop production.

1988 ◽  
Vol 3 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 77-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Lashomb ◽  
William Metterhouse ◽  
Robert Chianese

AbstractThe U.S. public is expressing strong preference for the use of biological control methods in the management of U.S. agricultural, forest, and rangeland insect pests. This follows from a widespread understanding among citizens that synthetic insecticides have potentially harmful side effects on humans and that they are spreading increasingly as pollutants in the environment. Major recent increases in the number of pesticide-resistant insect species also put pressure on the agricultural community toward adoption of alternative non-agchemical plant and animal protection strategies. Movement in the direction of such alternatives has been facilitated by the fact that in the last two decades much progress has been made in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) through an improved understanding of the interactions of pests with their hosts. In that time period, many advances have been made in describing and predicting insect movement, seasonal cycles, and the effects of secondary plant compounds on insect reproduction. Simultaneously, much has been learned about the behavior, physiology, and population dynamics of insect parasitoids, i.e. parasites on insect pests. In the 1990's and subsequently, Biological Control Intensive Pest Management (BCIPM) will require continuing research to attain needed advancement in knowledge of growth and development of host plants, population dynamics of pests and parasitoids, and ecology of secondary pests that may interfere with implementation of BCIPM programs. Extension and research personnel will then be increasingly able to devise useful control methods for pests within selected cropping systems. We describe here examples to illustrate present and potential future use of BCIPM in different practical plant systems in New Jersey.


2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Horne ◽  
Jessica Page

Integrated Pest Management for Crops and Pastures describes in straightforward language what is required for farmers to successfully implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in cropping and grazing operations. It explains the differences between conventional pesticide-based controls and IPM, and demonstrates the advantages of IPM. Effective control of pests depends on a number of approaches, not just chemical or genetic engineering. The opening chapters cover the different approaches to pest management, and the importance of identification and monitoring of pests and beneficials. Most farmers and advisors can identify major pests but would struggle to recognise a range of beneficial species. Without this information it is impossible to make appropriate decisions on which control methods to use, especially where pests are resistant to insecticides. The book goes on to deal with the control methods: biological, cultural and chemical. The biological control agents discussed include both native and introduced species that attack pests. Cultural changes that have led to an increase in the incidence or severity of pest attack are also examined. The chapter on chemical control describes the different ways chemicals can affect beneficial species, also detailing acute, sub-lethal and transient toxicities of pesticides, drawing on examples from horticulture where necessary. Finally, the authors bring all the components of integrated pest management together and show farmers how to put their IPM plan into action.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 2365-2373 ◽  
Author(s):  
AYU SAFITRI ◽  
SITI HERLINDA ◽  
ARUM SETIAWAN

Safitri A, Herlinda S, Setiawan A. 2018. Entomopathogenic fungi of soils of freshwater swamps, tidal lowlands, peatlands, and highlands of South Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19: 2365-2373. Ecosystems of lowlands and highlands in South Sumatra have specific characteristics of soils and vegetations that can affect the availability of entomopathogenic fungi. This study aimed to explore and identify species and to determine inoculum potentials of the entomopathogenic fungi from soils of freshwater swamps, tidal lowlands, peatlands, and highlands. Baiting of entomopathogenic fungi on soil samples used the larvae of Tenebrio molitor. The entomopathogenic fungi species found in this research were Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae. The number of the fungal isolates were 30 isolates consisting of nine isolates of B. bassiana and 21 isolates of M. anisopliae.The highest number of isolates was found in the highland ecosystem (11 isolates) and the lowest was found in peatland ecosystem (4 isolates). The highest percentage average of inoculum potentials of the fungi was found in the high land ecosystem (4.04%) and the lowest one was found in freshwater swamps ecosystem (2.11%). Based on the vegetation type, the soil planted with mustard in Talang Patai-Pagaralam (highland ecosystem) had the highest inoculum potentials (9.33%). These fungi will make an important contribution to the biological control for insect pests in lowland to highland ecosystems in Indonesia.


2019 ◽  
pp. 139-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Mansfield ◽  
Colin M. Ferguson ◽  
Toni White ◽  
Scott Hardwick ◽  
Sean D.G. Marshall ◽  
...  

New Zealand’s pastoral sector faces significant challenges to pest management as long-standing insecticides are deregistered. To protect their pastures, farmers need to shift from reactive responses that lead to poor economic outcomes to pre-emptive responses that are viable in the long term. Current management practices (insecticides, endophytes, biological control) for New Zealand’s pasture insect pests were assessed from the perspective of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Potential impacts from novel control strategies and emerging digital technologies were evaluated to determine how these could improve pest management. Cryptic IPM is present within the New Zealand pastoral sector: that is, farmers practise various elements of IPM but these elements are not integrated into a cohesive system, so farmers often fail to recognise pest impacts until significant economic losses have occurred. We identified important networks by which farmers, industry and researchers communicate and share information, and can develop strategies to raise awareness of IPM. To encourage adoption, farmers need to feel ownership of pasture IPM. Investment in IPM training for farmers through industry extension networks is essential to prepare farmers for the shift away from chemical insecticides to new biologically based control methods. Adoption of IPM will help pastoralists respond to current and new pest challenges.


2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Augustyniuk-Kram

Fungal entomopathogens are widespread in nature and contribute to the natural regulation of insects. They can be exploited for pest management as biological control agents of pests in attempts to improve the sustainability of crop protection. Four types of biological control are recognized: classical, inoculation, inundation, and conservation biological control. Classical biological control is the intentional introduction and permanent establishment of an exotic biological agent for long-term pest management. Inoculation biological control is the intentional release of a living organism as a biological control agent with the expectation that it will multiply and control the pest for an extended period, but not permanently. Inundation biological control is the release of large numbers of mass-produced biological control agents to reduce a pest population without necessarily achieving continuing impact or establishment. Conservation biological control is a modification of the environment or existing practices to protect and enhance specific natural enemies or other organisms to reduce the effect of pests. The traditional and the most popular approach in biological control with entomopathogenic fungi has been to apply the fungal material to the cropping system (as biopesticide), using an inundation biological control strategy. The term biopesticide is used for microbial biological pest control agents that are applied in a similar manner to chemical pesticides. The use of biopesticides can substitute for some (but not all) chemicals and provide environmentally safe and sustainable control of pests but EU legislation and prohibitive registration costs are discouraging the development and commercialization of many promising new products.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Garcia ◽  
Elissa M Olimpi ◽  
Daniel S Karp ◽  
David J Gonthier

Abstract Some bird species often benefit farmers by suppressing invertebrate crop pests, yet birds are rarely considered in integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. This is likely because some bird species pose risks to farmers through crop damage, intraguild predation, and food safety concerns. Nonetheless, the benefits of some bird species on crop production are often substantial. Therefore, understanding when birds are most likely to enhance crop production (and when they are most likely to depress it) is crucial for designing effective IPM strategies. Here, we briefly review the literature on birds in agricultural systems, discuss examples of how birds can provide services and disservices to crops, examine factors that influence the net effects of birds, and discuss emerging tools that will help fill key knowledge gaps surrounding the complex roles of birds in agricultural systems.


2022 ◽  
pp. 185-215
Author(s):  
Germain Ochou Ochou ◽  
S. W. Avicor ◽  
G. A. Matthews

Abstract This chapter focuses on the cotton growing countries in West Africa, including Cote d' Ivore, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Senegal, Benin, Togo, Francophone West Africa, and Ghana. Crop protection, pest management, and crop production of cotton are discussed.


Author(s):  
Anjney Sharma ◽  
Ankit Srivastava ◽  
Awadhesh K. Shukla ◽  
Kirti Srivastava ◽  
Alok Kumar Srivastava ◽  
...  

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