Harnessing entomopathogenic fungi: A meta‐analysis on their role as plant growth promoters

Societal Impact Statement Our meta‐analysis highlights the potential of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) as sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides and fertilisers. By promoting plant growth and reducing reliance on agrochemicals, EPF can support healthier crops, minimise environmental contamination and improve profitability within food production systems. Optimising application methods and matching EPF to specific crops could accelerate adoption and enhance food security. However, further field research and knowledge‐sharing are needed to realise these benefits at scale. Overall, plant–EPF interactions offer a promising pathway towards resilient, environmentally friendly agriculture that benefits both people and the planet. Summary Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are widely used as biological agents against a range of insects. This meta‐analysis investigates the plantgrowth‐promoting effects of EPF and explores their potential as sustainable alternatives to pesticides and fertilisers. The goal is to determine if EPF generally promote plant growth and whether the fungal genus, inoculation method and dosage modulate these effects. We synthesised global data on experimental plant growth responses to EPF colonisation and performed a meta‐analysis on 90 studies including 797 paired observations of several important growth metrics. Overall, EPF had positive effects on growth with significant increases in plant height, leaf surface area, shoot dry mass and root mass. Beauveria and Metarhizium were the most commonly reported fungal genera. The inoculation method emerged as a significant moderator for shoot length, fresh mass and root dry mass with soil application showing the most consistent positive effects. Publication bias was detected, indicating a tendency to report positive results. Our results emphasise optimising the application method with compatible EPF for specific crop species or varieties and advocate for further field‐based research to understand real‐world applications