Entomopathogenic Fungi – An ecological alternative to chemical pesticides
Authors/Creators
- 1. Senior Research Fellow, Department of Agricultural Entomology University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur – 584104
- 2. Ph. D Scholar, Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur – 584104
Description
Insects are susceptible to a variety of diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoans, rickettsia, mycoplasma and nematodes. Among them, fungal pathogens have certain advantages over other insect pathogens like bacteria and viruses and gaining importance in crop pest control in recent years. Entomopathogenic fungi are a major component of integrated pest management techniques as a biological control agent against the insect pests and other arthropods in horticulture, forestry and agriculture and are found in the divisions of Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Deuteromycota, Chytridiomycota and Oomycota. They comprise of wide range of morphologically, phylogenetically and ecologically diverse fungal species. As a group of parasites, the entomopathogenic fungi infect a wide range of insect hosts, from aquatic larvae to adult insects from high canopies in tropical forests or even deserts. Their hosts are spread among 20 of the 31 orders of insects, in all developmental stages: eggs, larvae, pupae, nymphs, and adults.