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The Potential Application of Entomopathogenic Fungi (EF) in Insect Pest Management

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Microbial Biocontrol: Molecular Perspective in Plant Disease Management

Part of the book series: Microorganisms for Sustainability ((MICRO,volume 49))

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Abstract

Biological control based on entomopathogenic fungi (EF) is an environmentally safe and promising substitute for chemical pesticides in agriculture. EF range from extremely pathogenic forms to naturally occurring ones and are often present in the soil, plant rhizosphere, or sometimes as endophytes of plants. By the diverse niches they occupy, biochemistry of the insect cuticle, and enzymes and toxins they release, these EF-based contact bioinsecticides are known to control agricultural pests, mosquitoes, termites, etc. The EF attack the insect and the complexity of attacks and counterattacks depends upon the communication between the attacking EF and the insect host, which leads to a co-evolutionary arms race between the fungus and the insect. It has been well understood that lipids present in the epicuticle are important in the stress and virulence of EF. Further, to generate novel strains of EF with enhanced virulence and improved resistance to stress, genetic engineering is employed. Nowadays, with the percolation of nanotechnology in agriculture, EF-based myconanopesticides can be fabricated. EF are incorporated into formulations and marketed after getting registered as mycoinsecticides, and they can be used either alone or in combination with plant extracts to achieve synergistic pest control.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the University Department of Botany, T.M. Bhagalpur University, for providing the necessary infrastructure to carry out the study.

Funding: This study received no grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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  1. University Department of Botany, T.M. Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur, India

    Manisha Mishra

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  1. Manisha Mishra
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  1. Department of Plant Protection, Selcuk University, Konya, Türkiye

    Kubilay Kurtulus Bastas

  2. Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India

    Ajay Kumar

  3. Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India

    U. Sivakumar

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Mishra, M. (2023). The Potential Application of Entomopathogenic Fungi (EF) in Insect Pest Management. In: Bastas, K.K., Kumar, A., Sivakumar, U. (eds) Microbial Biocontrol: Molecular Perspective in Plant Disease Management. Microorganisms for Sustainability, vol 49. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-3947-3_16

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