Advances in fungal and viral pathogens for biological control of insect pests

AbstractRecent research shows that different types of fungi, like Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, can attack and control pest populations. It also shows how viruses, like nucleopolyhedroviruses, can target specific insect hosts. In field tests, these organic agents have been shown to reduce the number of pests by a large amount and increase food output. These bacteria can now be used in a wider range of farming settings thanks to improvements in preparation technologies and application methods. This will remove dependence on pesticides and make farming more sustainable besides saving, the human health and environment.