Research Progress on the Microbial Biocontrol of Agricultural Insect Pests
A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Pest and Disease Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 22
Special Issue Editors
Interests: insects for food and feed; insect–yeast interactions; insect metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The management of agricultural pests is one of the major challenges of our time, as insect pests significantly affect agricultural productivity. It has been reported that pests cause an annual loss of approximately 20–30% of global crop yields, with even higher losses in regions with low management efficiency. The use of chemical pesticides to control these pests has led to issues such as pesticide resistance and serious side effects in humans due to the consumption of pesticide-treated vegetables and fruits.
An eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides is the use of beneficial microorganisms for pest management. Microbial biocontrol agents, such as Bacillus thuringiensis (bacteria) and Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae (fungi), have shown great promise in controlling pests without the harmful environmental impacts associated with chemical pesticides. However, there remains a need for further isolation and identification of insect-specific biocontrol agents to help mitigate agricultural losses.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
Biological Control Mechanisms: Investigate the modes of action by which beneficial microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi) control agricultural pests. This could include exploring microbial toxins, enzymes, or competitive exclusion strategies.
Microbial Diversity and Screening: Study the diversity of beneficial microorganisms in different agricultural ecosystems and screen them for biocontrol potential against specific pests.
Microbial Interactions with Host Plants: Examine how beneficial microorganisms interact with host plants to enhance plant defences against pests, such as inducing systemic resistance.
Field Efficacy Trials: Conduct field trials to evaluate the effectiveness of microbial biocontrol agents under different environmental conditions and crop management practices.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategies: Develop integrated approaches combining microbial biocontrol with other methods (e.g., cultural practices, insecticides) to optimize pest management outcomes.
Impact on Non-Target Organisms: Assess the ecological impact of microbial biocontrol agents on non-target organisms, including beneficial insects and soil microbiota.
Bioinformatics and Genomics: Use bioinformatics tools to analyze microbial genomes for potential biocontrol genes and pathways, facilitating genetic engineering of more effective biocontrol strains.
Formulation and Delivery Systems: Improve formulations and delivery methods of microbial biocontrol agents to enhance stability, persistence, and efficacy in the field.
Commercialization and Scaling Up: Explore strategies for commercial production and scaling up of biocontrol agents for practical application in agriculture.
Economic and Socioeconomic Impacts: Evaluate the economic feasibility and socio-economic impacts of adopting microbial biocontrol strategies compared to conventional pest management practices.
This Special Issue will provide a comprehensive overview of current advancements in the field of microbial pest control, focusing on both scientific innovations and practical applications for sustainable agriculture.
We look forward to your contributions.
Dr. Itai Opatovsky
Dr. Kannan Mani
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- biological control
- bacteria
- fungi
- integrated pest management (IPM)
- beneficial microorganisms
- microbial diversity
- plant defence induction
- field efficacy trials
- microbial formulations
- non-target effects
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