Plant Protection science 🌱🦠🔬

🪲Over the years, control of many econonomically important insect pests are achieved through in wide array of options that are suitable to farmer's convenience and preferences.

🧪The introduction of alternative insect control measures like use of entomopathogenic fungi has drawn increasing attention and popularity amongst growers.

🦠Entomopathogenic fungi are group of soil borne microorganisms that attacks and kills insects and other arthropods.

🌱The most popular strains of these fungis belong to the genera Beauveria, Metarhizium, Isaria, Hirsutella, and Lecanicillium.

🌱Once came contact with the insects, it adheres to their cuticle and penetrates their body. Then the fungus starts to grow and multiply.

🪴However, the field efficacy of these products are usually being questioned for consistency and practicability leading to low adoption rate.

♻️In order to address challenges on the formulation associated to its field applications, here are some recommendations:

📍Focus on stabilizing the fungal spores to extend shelf life. Encapsulating spores in protective coatings or using stabilizing agents can enhance viability and effectiveness over time.

📍Incorporate UV protectants into formulations to shield fungal spores from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can reduce their viability when applied outdoors.

📍Develop formulations with improved adhesion to insect cuticles and substrates. Add surfactants or adhesion promoters to enhance spore attachment and spread on the target pests.

📍Modify formulations to withstand a wider range of temperatures, allowing the fungi to remain effective under varying environmental conditions.

📍Improve rainfastness by designing formulations that resist washing away during rain events, ensuring prolonged efficacy.

📍Test compatibility with commonly used pesticides and fertilizers to create integrated pest management solutions that can be used in combination with other products.

📚Related information: https://lnkd.in/gpvC5eMJ

📸Image details: Image: https://lnkd.in/gdSPM6Pv
Insects infected with Metarhizium strains showing sporulation on cadavers. (A) Melanoplus femurrubrum infected with wild type Metarhizium acridum Ma324. Galleria mellonella infected with transgenic Ma324-Mest1 (B) and wild type Metarhizium robertsii Mr2575 (C). Manduca sexta infected with transgenic M. acridum Ma324-Mest1 (D) and wild type M. robertsii Mr2575 (E).

📱Via:https://lnkd.in/gTWyqr-K

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