Insect pest management by entomopathogenic fungi

Abstract

The natural regulation of insect pest population is effectively done by widespread disease causing pathogenic fungi which are potentially the most versatile biological control agents due to their wide host range in different insects. Insect pathogenic fungi are effective in limiting the occurrence of certain populations of soil pests with varied mode of action and virulence. The fungi have evolved mechanisms for adhesion and recognition of host surface cues that help in direct adaptive response including the production of hydrolytic, assimilatory and detoxifying enzymes and other metabolites that facilitate infection in insect pests. Therefore, in this review we discuss the role of entomopathogenic fungi for the management of the insect pests in agricultural ecosystem.