Entomopathogenic Fungi and its Biological Control

Entomopathogenic fungi are considered as essential natural regulators in population of different insects. These fungi have potential as mycoinsecticide agents alongside different agricultural insect pests. The mode of actions of these fungi mainly cause infection in body of their host through cuticle penetration, acquisition entrance to the host hemolymph, production of toxins, and grow by consuming nutrients which are existing in the hemocoel to avoid immune responses in insects. A total of 1600 different types of viruses are involved in the infection of 1100 different species of insects and mites. The fungi produce spores which infect their host by germinating on its surface and then growing into its body. Death takes between 4 and 10 days, depending on the type of fungus and the number of infecting spores. After death, the fungus produces thousands of new spores on the dead body, which disperse and continue their life cycle on new hosts. There are two main taxonomic orders of entomopathogenic fungi. These fungi often cause natural epizootics in insect and mite populations.

Autorentext
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Raheem Ali Abdel-Raheem, Pests & Plant Protection Department, Agricultural and Biological Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.Eng. Mai Magdy Mousa, Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt.