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Novel Advances in the Use of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Biological...
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Novel Advances in the Use of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Biological Pest Suppression

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental and Ecological Interactions of Fungi".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 8402

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Waqas Wakil

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
2. Senckenberg German Entomological Institute, Müncheberg, Germany
Interests: insect pathogens; biological control; microbial control; plant-insect-microbe-interactions; IPM
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Shaohui Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA 31793, USA
Interests: integrated pest management; microbial control; entomopathogen
Prof. Dr. David I. Shapiro-Ilan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Fruit and Tree Nut Research, USDA-ARS, Byron, GA 31008, USA
Interests: entomopathogenic; fungi; nematodes; invertebrate pathology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pest management programs in agriculture have relied heavily on the use of synthetic insecticides. However, due to increasing public concerns on food safety and crop sustainability, eco-friendly biological approaches have been investigated as alternative pest control tactics. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) have been developed as microbial biopesticides to address pest problems in agricultural production systems, but their efficacy can vary due to their susceptibility to environmental stress. Research efforts have been made in application and formulation technologies to enhance the efficacy of EPF in pest management. This Special Issue discusses the novel advances in improving the control success of EPF and potential of their interaction with chemical and other control agents in IPM systems for managing arthropod pests in agricultural crops and stored products. We are happy to invite scientists to submit original research, reviews, mini-review, methods, and perspective articles covering potential sub-topics that include, but are not limited to, these research highlights.

Dr. Waqas Wakil
Dr. Shaohui Wu
Prof. Dr. David I. Shapiro-Ilan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • entomopathogenic fungi
  • endophyte
  • biopesticide
  • agricultural crops
  • stored products
  • microbial control
  • integrated pest management
  • sustainability

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 357 KiB  
Article
Natural Warriors against Stored-Grain Pests: The Joint Action of Beauveria bassiana and Steinernema carpocapsae
by Waqas Wakil, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Nikoleta Eleftheriadou, Taha Yaseen, Khawaja G. Rasool, Mureed Husain and Abdulrahman S. Aldawood
J. Fungi 2023, 9(8), 835; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9080835 - 08 Aug 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1047
Abstract
Tribolium castaneum, Trogoderma granarium, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Sitophilus oryzae, Rhyzopertha dominica, and Cryptolestes ferrugineus are all major pests of stored grains. In this study, the efficiency of single and joint applications of the entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) Steinernema carpocapsae at [...] Read more.
Tribolium castaneum, Trogoderma granarium, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Sitophilus oryzae, Rhyzopertha dominica, and Cryptolestes ferrugineus are all major pests of stored grains. In this study, the efficiency of single and joint applications of the entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) Steinernema carpocapsae at two different doses (50 and 100 IJs cm−2) and the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Beauveria bassiana for the management of the aforementioned pests was estimated. At single treatments, both doses of S. carpocapsae caused higher mortality rates to all six pest species compared to B. bassiana. The combined treatment of EPF and EPN resulted in higher mortality compared to single treatments. Mortality was strongly influenced by the exposure interval and the application dose of the EPN at both single and combined treatments. Maximum mortality was observed for the application of the combined treatment at the high dose of S. carpocapsae and B. bassiana. Among the different insect species tested, the maximum mortality rate was observed for R. dominica (96.62%), followed by S. oryzae (90.48%), T. castaneum (87.23%), C. ferrugineus (76.05%), O. surinamensis (70.74%), and T. granarium (57.71%). The outcomes of this study demonstrate the potential of utilizing specific combinations of EPF and EPN as effective natural enemies against stored-grain pests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Advances in the Use of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Biological Pest Suppression)
16 pages, 2651 KiB  
Article
Post-Application Field Persistence and Efficacy of Cordyceps javanica against Bemisia tabaci
by Shaohui Wu, Michael D. Toews, Robert W. Behle, Apurba K. Barman, Alton N. Sparks, Alvin M. Simmons and David I. Shapiro-Ilan
J. Fungi 2023, 9(8), 827; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9080827 - 05 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 831
Abstract
Previously, Cordyceps javanica Wf GA17, a causing agent of whitefly epizootics in southern Georgia, demonstrated superior temperature tolerance and higher virulence against the whitefly Bemisia tabaci than commercial strains in the laboratory. The post-application persistence and efficacy of this fungus against B. tabaci [...] Read more.
Previously, Cordyceps javanica Wf GA17, a causing agent of whitefly epizootics in southern Georgia, demonstrated superior temperature tolerance and higher virulence against the whitefly Bemisia tabaci than commercial strains in the laboratory. The post-application persistence and efficacy of this fungus against B. tabaci were compared with that of the commercially available C. javanica Apopka97 strain over a two-year field study in cotton and vegetable crops. When blastospores of both strains were applied alone, whitefly populations were not effectively suppressed. Thus, JMS stylet oil was added to fungal treatments for enhancing efficacy and persistence. For 0-day samples, all fungal treatments caused similar but significant levels of immature mortality regardless of fungal strain, propagule form (conidia vs. blastospores), and application method (alone or mixed with JMS). In follow-up samplings, Wf GA17 blastospores + JMS achieved higher control levels than other treatments in some trials, but the efficacy did not last long. The JMS oil alone caused significant mortality and suppressed whiteflies. Over 90% of spores lost viability 24 h after treatment in all fungal treatments. Across evaluation times, there was no difference between the two fungal strains (conidia or blastospores, alone or combined with JMS), but conidia persisted better than blastospores for both strains. Overall, the field persistence and efficacy of C. javanica did not last long; therefore, improved delivery methods and formulations are needed for enhancement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Advances in the Use of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Biological Pest Suppression)
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12 pages, 5118 KiB  
Article
Field Evaluation of Promising Indigenous Entomopathogenic Fungal Isolates against Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae)
by Koko D. Sutanto, Ibrahim M. Al-Shahwan, Mureed Husain, Khawaja G. Rasool, Richard W. Mankin and Abdulrahman S. Aldawood
J. Fungi 2023, 9(1), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9010068 - 02 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1957
Abstract
The rate of the sounds (i.e., substrate vibrations) produced by the movement and feeding activity of red palm weevil (RPW) pest infestations in a date palm tree was monitored over time after trees were separately treated with injection of entomopathogenic fungal isolates, Beauveria [...] Read more.
The rate of the sounds (i.e., substrate vibrations) produced by the movement and feeding activity of red palm weevil (RPW) pest infestations in a date palm tree was monitored over time after trees were separately treated with injection of entomopathogenic fungal isolates, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, or water treatment as the control. The activity sensing device included an accelerometer, an amplifier, a digital recorder, and a signal transmitter that fed the data to a computer that excluded background noise and compared the rates of bursts of movement and feeding sound impulses among treated trees and controls. Observations were made daily for two months. The rates of bursts were representative of the feeding activity of RPW. The unique spectral pattern of sound pulses was typical of the RPW larval feeding activity in the date palm. The microphone confirmed that the same unique tone was produced in each burst. Two months after fungal injection, the RPW sound signal declined, while the RPW sound signal increased in the control date palms (water injection). The mean rates of bursts produced by RPW decreased to zero after the trees were injected with B. bassiana or M. anisopliae compared with the increased rates over time in the control treatment plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Advances in the Use of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Biological Pest Suppression)
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Review

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13 pages, 4883 KiB  
Review
Materials Engineering to Help Pest Control: A Narrative Overview of Biopolymer-Based Entomopathogenic Fungi Formulations
by Marco Friuli, Rebecca Pellegrino, Leonardo Lamanna, Paola Nitti, Marta Madaghiele and Christian Demitri
J. Fungi 2023, 9(9), 918; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9090918 - 12 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1223
Abstract
Biopolymer-based formulations show great promise in enhancing the effectiveness of entomopathogenic fungi as bioinsecticides. Chitosan and starch, among other biopolymers, have been utilized to improve spore delivery, persistence, and adherence to target insects. These formulations offer advantages such as target specificity, eco-friendliness, and [...] Read more.
Biopolymer-based formulations show great promise in enhancing the effectiveness of entomopathogenic fungi as bioinsecticides. Chitosan and starch, among other biopolymers, have been utilized to improve spore delivery, persistence, and adherence to target insects. These formulations offer advantages such as target specificity, eco-friendliness, and sustainability. However, challenges related to production costs, stability, and shelf life need to be addressed. Recently, biomimetic lure and kill approaches based on biopolymers offer cost-effective solutions by leveraging natural attractants. Further research is needed to optimize these formulations and overcome challenges. Biopolymer-based formulations have the potential to revolutionize pest control practices, providing environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions for agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Advances in the Use of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Biological Pest Suppression)
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15 pages, 3210 KiB  
Review
Interactions between Entomopathogenic Fungi and Insects and Prospects with Glycans
by Dongdong Liu, Guy Smagghe and Tong-Xian Liu
J. Fungi 2023, 9(5), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9050575 - 15 May 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2791
Abstract
Concerns regarding the ecological and health risks posed by synthetic insecticides have instigated the exploration of alternative methods for controlling insects, such as entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) as biocontrol agents. Therefore, this review discusses their use as a potential alternative to chemical insecticides and [...] Read more.
Concerns regarding the ecological and health risks posed by synthetic insecticides have instigated the exploration of alternative methods for controlling insects, such as entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) as biocontrol agents. Therefore, this review discusses their use as a potential alternative to chemical insecticides and especially focuses on the two major ones, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, as examples. First, this review exemplifies how B. bassiana- and M. anisopliae-based biopesticides are used in the world. Then, we discuss the mechanism of action by which EPF interacts with insects, focusing on the penetration of the cuticle and the subsequent death of the host. The interactions between EPF and the insect microbiome, as well as the enhancement of the insect immune response, are also summarized. Finally, this review presents recent research that N-glycans may play a role in eliciting an immune response in insects, resulting in the increased expression of immune-related genes and smaller peritrophic matrix pores, reducing insect midgut permeability. Overall, this paper provides an overview of the EPF in insect control and highlights the latest developments relating to the interaction between fungi and insect immunity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Advances in the Use of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Biological Pest Suppression)
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