Entomopathogenic Fungi: Prospects and Challenges

Microbial biocontrol agents are the best alternative to chemical insecticides for managing agricultural insect pests. They have no harmful effects on human health and the environment. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are different from others due to their process of the infection process. The pathogenicity of EPF depends upon the production of different enzymes including lipases, proteases, and chitinase. These enzymes can degrade the cuticle of enzymes, so help in insect management. There is potential to extract these enzymes and metabolites and then develop their formulations for insect pest management. The stability of EPF in the field conditions depends upon the different factors including pathogen, insect host, the host plant, environment, temperature, solar radiation, rainfall, and nature of the soil. Certain environmental conditions can inhibit the growth of their conidia, so reduce their performance in the field conditions for insect pest management. Proper formulation by using different liquid and solid carriers can enhance their performance and efficacy in field conditions. Through proper commercialization products based on EPF can be a significant component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The use of EPF has been limited due to a lack of knowledge about their capabilities. In this study, we have collected data about factors responsible for the success and failure of EPF, challenges, opportunities, and additional and unconventional applications of EPF. Proper formulation and successful mass production of EPF can enhance their efficacy and availability for management of insect pest.