Direct and Endophytic Effects of Fungal Entomopathogens for Sustainable Aphid Control: A Review

Abstract

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are cosmopolitan species of great interest in pest management due to their ability to cause epizooty in soil-dwelling and aboveground insects. Besides their direct effect against a wide host range of serious agricultural insect pests, such as aphids, a major emphasis has been placed on investigating the impact of EPF with endophytic traits (EIPF) on aboveground tripartite interactions between host plants, herbivores and beneficial insects. However, despite their valuable role in biocontrol processes, there is still more to explore about their diverse potential as ecofriendly biological control agents. Herein, we provide an overview of the meaningful role and faced challenges following the use of EPF and EIPF to control aphids.

Fungal strain and crop cultivar affect growth of sweet pepper plants after root inoculation with entomopathogenic fungi

“…Local or systematic colonization occurs mainly in the roots, stems, leaves and internal tissues of plants ( Behie et al., 2015 ). The endophytic behavior of entomopathogenic fungi has been reported in numerous cultivated and non-cultivated plant species, both naturally colonized and artificially inoculated by diverse methods, and several of these fungi have the potential to improve the plant’s response to biotic and abiotic stresses ( Vega, 2008 ; Vidal and Jaber, 2015 ; Vega, 2018 ; Gange et al., 2019 ; Francis et al., 2022 ). For example, banana and common bean plants inoculated with entomopathogenic fungi showed reduced reproduction rates and higher mortality rates of the banana root borer ( Cosmopolites sordidus ), one of the most important pests on bananas ( Akello et al., 2008 ), and the pea leaf miner ( Liriomyza huidobrensis ) ( Akutse et al., 2013 ), respectively, while endophytic colonization of sweet pepper by entomopathogenic fungi had negative effects on the development and fecundity of aphids ( Myzus persicae ) ( Jaber and Araj, 2018 ; Wilberts et al., 2022 ).…”

Effects of root inoculation of entomopathogenic fungi on olfactory‐mediated behavior and life‐history traits of the parasitoid Aphidius ervi (Haliday) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

“…However, there is limited information describing the impact of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi on higher trophic levels, such as parasitoids, and the few studies conducted so far have only investigated effects on parasitoid life history 34–36 . Little is known about the effects of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi on the VOC emissions of host plants and the cascading effects on the behavior of insects at different trophic levels 37 . In this study, we investigated whether root inoculation of sweet pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.; Solanaceae) with the entomopathogenic fungus Akanthomyces muscarius ARSEF 5128 is compatible with parasitoid wasps for enhanced biocontrol of aphids, which constitute a major threat to modern agriculture 38,39 .…”

“…[34][35][36] Little is known about the effects of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi on the VOC emissions of host plants and the cascading effects on the behavior of insects at different trophic levels. 37 In this study, we investigated whether root inoculation of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.; Solanaceae) with the entomopathogenic fungus Akanthomyces muscarius ARSEF 5128 is compatible with parasitoid wasps for enhanced biocontrol of aphids, which constitute a major threat to modern agriculture. 38,39 In previous research, A. muscarius ARSEF 5128 was found to endophytically colonize sweet pepper plants, leading to reduced aphid longevity and fecundity.…”

Characterization of Endophytic Entomopathogenic Fungal Isolates: Growth Dynamics, Viability, Density, and Morphological Attributes

“…Among these, entomopathogenic fungal endophytes stand out for their ability to infect insects while residing asymptomatically in plant tissues. Extensive research has explored their potential applications in pest management and their capacity to enhance plant growth and resistance to pathogens [2,3]. For instance, treatments utilizing B. bassiana have demonstrated efficacy in protecting emerging tomato and cotton seedlings against fungal pathogens [4].…”