ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FUNGAL PATHOGENS FROM INSECT PESTS OF WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a crucial global staple crop vulnerable to numerous insect pests, leading to considerable yield reductions. Using entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) as biological control agents provides a sustainable alternative to traditional chemical insecticides. This study was designed to isolate, identify, and characterize fungal pathogens from insect pests obtained from wheat fields. Insect cadavers that exhibited signs of fungal infection were gathered and subjected to standard mycological procedures to isolate and purify fungi. A morphological approach was utilized for the identification of fungi. The pathogenicity of the isolated fungi was then evaluated. The findings revealed the existence of different fungal species demonstrating significant potential for the biological control of primary insect pests affecting wheat. Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae were potential EPF identified. M. anisopliae induced 81.45 pathogenicity in mites, 85.6% in weevils, 73% in borers, and 71% in aphids. These results offer important insights for formulating biopesticides to promote sustainable wheat farming.. KEYWORDS :Biological control, Entomopathogenic fungi, Insect pests, Morphology, Triticum aestivum