The commercial use of entomopathogenic fungi and their products as mycoinsecticides necessitates their registration. Worldwide, several registration guidelines are available, however, most of them focus on similar or even the same safety issues. With respect to the two entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. and Beauveria brongniartii (Sacc.) Petch, many commercial products have been developed, and numerous papers on different biological, environmental, toxicological and other safety aspects have been published during the past 30–40 years. The aim of the present review is to summarise these data. The following safety issues are presented: (1) identity of Beauveria spp.; (2) biological properties of Beauveria spp. (history, natural occurrence and geographical distribution, host range, mode of action, production of metabolites/toxins, effect of environmental factors); (3) analytical methods to determine and quantify residues; (4) fate and behaviour in the environment (mobili...

Review on safety of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Beauveria brongniartii

The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschn.) Sorokin is widely used for biocontrol of pest insects, and many commercial products are on the market or under development. The aim of this review is to summarise all relevant safety data of this fungus, which are necessary for the commercialisation and registration process. The review contains the following sections: (1) identity, (2) biological properties (history, natural occurrence and geographical distribution, host range, mode of action, production of metabolites/toxins, effect of environmental factors), (3) methods to determine and quantify residues, (4) fate and behaviour in the environment (mobility and persistence in air, water and soil), (5) effects on non-target organisms (microorganisms, plants, soil organisms, aquatic organisms, predators, parasitoids, honey bees, earth worms, etc.), (6) effects on vertebrates (fish, amphibia, reptiles, and birds), and (7) effects on mammals and human health (allergy, pathogenicity/toxici...

Review on safety of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae

http://www.ias.csic.es/janc/sci_papers/mycoires_111_0947_07.pdf

Factors affecting the occurrence and distribution of entomopathogenic fungi in natural and cultivated soils

The entomopathogenic fungi, Isaria farinosa and Isaria fumosorosea were known as Paecilomyces farinosus and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, for more than 30 years. Both fungi have a worldwide distribution and a relatively wide host range. While I. farinosa currently is of minor importance in research and as biocontrol agent, I. fumosorosea is regarded as a species complex, and various strains are successfully used for biocontrol of several pest insects, mainly whiteflies. During the past 40 years, numerous scientific papers on both fungal species covering various research areas were published. This is the first monographic review on the biology, ecology and use of I. farinosa and I. fumosorosea as biocontrol agents. In the following compilation, data on the identity, natural occurrence and geographical distribution, host range, production of metabolites, effect of abiotic and biotic factors (temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, fungus, host plant) and on the use of these species in biocont...

The entomopathogenic fungi Isaria farinosa (formerly Paecilomyces farinosus) and the Isaria fumosorosea species complex (formerly Paecilomyces fumosoroseus): biology, ecology and use in biological control

Among invertebrate fungal pathogens, Beauveria bassiana has assumed a key role in management of numerous arthropod agricultural, veterinary and forestry pests. Beauveria is typically deployed in one or more inundative applications of large numbers of aerial conidia in dry or liquid formulations, in a chemical paradigm. Mass production is mainly practiced by solid-state fermentation to yield hydrophobic aerial conidia, which remain the principal active ingredient of mycoinsecticides. More robust and cost-effective fermentation and formulation downstream platforms are imperative for its overall commercialization by industry. Hence, where economics allow, submerged liquid fermentation provides alternative method to produce effective and stable propagules that can be easily formulated as dry stable preparations. Formulation also continues to be a bottleneck in the development of stable and effective commercial Beauveria-mycoinsecticides in many countries, although good commercial formulations do exist. Future research on improving fermentation and formulation technologies coupled with the selection of multi-stress tolerant and virulent strains is needed to catalyze the widespread acceptance and usefulness of this fungus as a cost-effective mycoinsecticide. The role of Beauveria as one tool among many in integrated pest management, rather than a stand-alone management approach, needs to be better developed across the range of crop systems. Here, we provide an overview of mass-production and formulation strategies, updated list of registered commercial products, major biocontrol programs and ecological aspects affecting the use of Beauveria as a mycoinsecticide.

The production and uses of Beauveria bassiana as a microbial insecticide.

Biological pest control with mass-produced arthropod natural enemies is well developed in greenhouse crops and has often resulted in the evolution of complex ecosystems with persistent populations of multiple arthropod natural enemy species. However, there are cases where arthropod natural enemies are either not effective enough, not available, or their use is rather costly. For these reasons, biological control based on microorganisms, also referred to as ‘microbials’, represents a complementary strategy for further development. Although commercially available microbials have been around for quite some time, research on and the applied use of combinations of arthropod natural enemies and microbials have remained relatively under explored. Here, we review current uses of entomopathogenic fungi, bacteria and viruses, and their possible direct and indirect effects on arthropod natural enemies in European greenhouses. We discuss how microbials might be combined with arthropod natural enemies in the light of new methodologies and technologies such as conservation biological control, greenhouse climate management, and formulation and delivery. Furthermore, we explore the possibilities of using other microorganisms for biological control, such as endophytes, and the need to understand the effect of insect-associated microorganisms, or symbionts, on the success of biological control. Finally, we suggest future research directions to optimize the combined use of microbials and arthropod natural enemies in greenhouse production.

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New Opportunities for the Integration of Microorganisms Into Biological Pest Control Systems in Greenhouse Crops

Comparison of volatile compounds released by entomopathogenic fungi.

The occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi, involved in regulating the population of insects preying on arable crops, depends on numerous factors, such as using crop protection chemicals, which are prohibited in the organic tillage system. Using two methods: selective medium and the Galleria mellonella bait method, the species composition and the occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi in soils deriving from organic and conventional fields sown with winter cereals were compared. Four entomopathogenic fungal species were identified in the samples: Beauveria bassiana, Isaria fumosorosea, Metarhizium anisopliae and Lecanicillium sp.. M. anisopliae was the most frequently detected one. M. anisopliae and B. bassiana formed more colony forming units in soils from organic fields, whereas I. fumosorosea in soils from the conventional ones.

/pdf/the-occurrence-of-entomopathogenic-fungi-in-soils-from-5dkgubeprd.pdf

The occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi in soils from fields cultivated in a conventional and organic system

A culture independent method based on qPCR was developed for the detection and quantification of two fungal inoculants in soil. The aim was to adapt a genotyping approach based on SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) marker to a discriminating tracing of two different species of bioinoculants in soil, after their in-field release. Two entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and B. brongniartii, were traced and quantified in soil samples obtained from field trials. These two fungal species were used as biological agents in Poland to control Melolontha melolontha (European cockchafer), whose larvae live in soil menacing horticultural crops. Specificity of SSR markers was verified using controls consisting of: i) soil samples containing fungal spores of B. bassiana and B. brongniartii in known dilutions; ii) the DNA of the fungal microorganisms; iii) soil samples singly inoculated with each fungus species. An initial evaluation of the protocol was performed with analyses of soil DNA and mycelial DNA. Further, the simultaneous detection and quantification of B. bassiana and B. brongniartii in soil was achieved in field samples after application of the bio-inoculants. The protocol can be considered as a relatively low cost solution for the detection, identification and traceability of fungal bio-inoculants in soil.

/pdf/development-of-a-method-for-detection-and-quantification-of-1ef2m88v4s.pdf

Development of a method for detection and quantification of B. brongniartii and B. bassiana in soil.

Studies on diseases of mites caused by entomopathogenic fungi have been undertaken in Poland about a half a century later than in West European countries. Nevertheless, during the last 30 years almost 40 species of arthropod pathogenic fungi have been identified, among them 23 species of Entomophthorales, 12 species of Hyphomycetales and four species of ectoparasitic Laboulbeniales. The most common are representatives of the genus Hirsutella , found both on phytophagous and parasitic or predaceous mites. Percentage infection by H. thompsonii in populations of some tarsonemid and eriophyid mites increases slowly from the end of spring reaching a maximum of 30-60% in August-September. Neozygites floridana is a common entomophthoralean species causing epizootics in spider mite populations; infection also peaks in late summer and autumn. The most numerous fungal taxa have been identified from the resting spores produced internally within the body of the host and show features of the genus Tarichium . From the...

Cezary Tkaczuk

Papers

New Opportunities for the Integration of Microorganisms Into Biological Pest Control Systems in Greenhouse Crops

Comparison of volatile compounds released by entomopathogenic fungi.

The occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi in soils from fields cultivated in a conventional and organic system

Development of a method for detection and quantification of B. brongniartii and B. bassiana in soil.

Mycopathogens of mites in Poland - a review.