Role of entomopathogenic fungi in sustainable agriculture

In sustainable agricultural systems, microbial biodiversity plays a crucial role, especially when considering the richness of microorganisms that are involved in biological control of pests and diseases. However, insecticide resistance, pest resurgence and the concern over environmental impact of agricultural inputs give urgency to search alternative biological based pest control. One such alternative is the biocontrol of insect-pests by using entomopathogenic fungi. These entomopathogens, due to their ecofriendliness and specificity are preferred over chemical pest management practices, to kill insect pests at various stages of its life cycle. It may be possible that the best use of microbial insecticides at wider range eradicate the use of chemicals to a large level. For future prospects, improvements are needed in the research methods, mass production, formulation and the application techniques. The proper selection of strains to kill specific host range without disturbing non-target insects is another point of study.