Significance of Microbes and their Role in Pest Management in Tea Ecosystem

Abstract

Tea crop damage is caused by mites and insect pests, and each year a significant amount of crop loss is occurring due to their damage. Synthetic pesticides' efficiency has allowed them to be widely used as a control tool for several decades. Synthetic pesticides, on the other hand, have resulted in the development of insect pest resistance, pollution, and pesticide residues in the finished product, among many other issues, forcing the planting community to look for an alternative strategy. Microbial pesticides have been used to combat mite and insect pest-damaging tendencies, and a substantial portion of scientific evidence indicates that their actions are both desirable and environmentally beneficial. In recent years, there has been a lot more emphasis on the use of natural enemies such as entomopathogens for pest control. entomopathogenic microorganisms (EM) expands the range of pest control possibilities. Eco-friendly alternatives to existing agricultural pesticides that are employed to manage insect pests and improve agricultural sustainability are being developed. The study summarises current knowledge on EM (entomopathogenic fungi, nematodes, viruses, bacteria, etc) as it relates to their present application as biological pest management.