Search Results (95)

Chemical control using synthetic insecticides is the most widely used method for controlling the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, the application of insecticides is not a long-term or sustainable solution. Biological control is an important pillar of integrated pest management, and entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs) are becoming increasingly important as biocontrol agents. However, no EPF biopesticides have been registered in South Africa for the control of S. frugiperda. Few studies have been conducted on the efficacy of commercial formulations of biopesticides against all S. frugiperda life stages. The objective of this study was, therefore, to assess the potential of two Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and two Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) based commercial biopesticides registered in South Africa against other pests, for their efficacy against S. frugiperda. The effects of these EPF formulations were evaluated on larval and prepupal mortality, moth emergence, fecundity, and longevity of the emerged moths. The results indicated that S. frugiperda second- and sixth-instar larvae were not susceptible to the biopesticides. Moth emergence, fecundity, and longevity were not significantly affected. However, prepupae were susceptible to both Metarhizium formulations, with Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 78 resulting in the highest mortality (56.7%). This biopesticide holds potential for the management of S. frugiperda when applied to the soil for the control of pupating larvae. Full article

The whitefly is among the main pests of crops, especially solanaceous and cucurbitaceous plants. The massive use of pesticides for its control has led to an increase in the pest’s resistance to different groups of insecticides and to environmental contamination. The use of biopesticides for its control is a sustainable alternative for the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of two biopesticides based on entomopathogenic fungi against eggs, nymphs, and adults of whitefly in eggplant in a greenhouse. The treatments consisted of Cordyceps javanica, Beauveria bassiana, a commercial insecticide (i.e., Spirotetramat), and a control (no application). A completely randomized design was used with 16 repetitions per treatment, and the non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis test was applied. Mortality was recorded on five dates after application (DAA). The sampling data were transformed to efficiency (%). The biopesticides were found to be effective in controlling whiteflies in all developmental stages during the evaluation days. Full article

Commercial production of the button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach, is threatened by various pests and mycopathogenic microorganisms. Sciarid flies (Sciaridae) of the genus Lycoriella are considered as major pests, while major pathogens include the fungi Lecanicillium fungicola (Preuss), Zare and Gams, Hypomyces perniciosus Magnus, Cladobotryum spp., and Trichoderma aggressivum Samuels & W. Gams, the causative agents of dry bubble, wet bubble, cobweb, and green mold diseases, respectively. Control of mushroom pests and diseases has long relied on synthetic chemical pesticides. Pesticide resistance and various health and environmental issues have created a need for sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to the use of synthetic chemical pesticides for mushroom pest and disease control. The concept of bioprotection, which involves using biological control agents (BCAs) and biopesticide products, offers a viable alternative. The entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae (Filipjev) and predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley) are the most important invertebrate BCAs, while the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, B. amyloliquefaciens, and B. velezensis stand out as the most widely used microbial BCAs/biopesticides. Azadirachtin- and pyrethrum-based products are the most important biochemical biopesticides. Bioprotection agents require inclusion in the integrated pest and disease management (IPDM) programs in order to achieve their full effectiveness. Full article

Sustainable agricultural practices are essential for eradicating global hunger, especially in light of the growing world population. Utilizing natural antagonists, such as fungi and bacteria, to combat plant diseases, rather than relying solely on synthetic chemical pesticides, which pose significant risks to the environment and human health, is known as biocontrol. Microbial biological control agents (MBCAs) have proven effective against phytopathogens and are increasingly embraced in agricultural practices. MBCAs possess several beneficial traits, including antagonistic potential, rhizosphere competence, and the ability to produce lytic enzymes, antibiotics, and toxins. These biocontrol mechanisms directly target soil-borne pathogens or indirectly stimulate a plant-mediated resistance response. The effectiveness of MBCAs in managing plant diseases depends on various mechanisms, such as hyperparasitism, antibiosis, competition for nutrients or space, disruption of quorum-sensing signals, production of siderophores, generation of cell wall-degrading enzymes, and the induction and priming of plant resistance. Formulating effective biopesticides requires optimal conditions, including selecting effective strains, considering biosafety, appropriate storage methods, and ensuring a prolonged shelf life. Therefore, formulation is crucial in developing pesticide products, particularly concerning efficacy and production costs. However, several challenges must be addressed to ensure the successful application of biological control, including the shelf life of biopesticides, slower efficacy in pest management, inadequate awareness and understanding of biocontrol methods, regulatory registration for commercialization, and suitable agricultural applications. This review clarifies the principles of plant disease biocontrol, highlighting the mechanisms of action and functionality of MBCAs in biocontrol activities, the formulation of biopesticides derived from microorganisms, and the challenges and barriers associated with the development, registration, commercialization, and application of biopesticides. Full article

The Clonostachys genus is a saprophytic soil microfungus (Ascomycota). It exhibits significant ecological adaptability and plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of soil microorganisms. Species within this genus are natural antagonists of insects and nematodes, and they also combat phytopathogenic fungi through mycoparasitism. This process involves producing lytic enzymes and competing for space and nutrients. Clonostachys species are effective biocontrol agents in agriculture and have been utilized to manage pests affecting many high-value commercial crops, acting as a natural biopesticide. They inhabit plant tissues, boosting plant defenses and activating genes for water and nutrient uptake, enhancing plant performance. Additionally, they produce enzymes and bioactive metabolites with antimicrobial, antifungal, nematocidal, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. Clonostachys species can degrade plastic waste and remove hydrocarbons from crude oil-contaminated sites when functioning as endophytes, positioning Clonostachys as a promising candidate for reducing environmental pollution. There are still challenges and limitations, such as the continuous surveillance of the safety of Clonostachys species on plants, the establishment of commercial applications, formulation viability, and variability due to field conditions. These issues will have to be addressed. This review provides an overview of Clonostachys ecology, morphology, classification, and biotechnological applications, emphasizing its significance in various fields. Full article

The production of organic strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) in Texas is becoming more popular because consumers prefer locally grown berries and are willing to pay premium prices. However, local climatic conditions pose a high risk for insect problems and fungal diseases; hence, effective pest and disease management strategies are needed. Developing effective and safe methods of producing organic strawberries is necessary for meeting local consumer demand. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of selected commercially available soil-applied biopesticides on yield and the quality of Camino Real strawberries established using bare roots on plastic mulch-covered beds with drip irrigation. The ten biopesticide treatments were replicated three times in a completely randomized design. The berries used for this study were subsampled from harvests made in mid-April, late April, and mid-May 2019. Yield, biometrical characteristics, and physicochemical analyses such as pH, acidity, total soluble solids, sugars and organic acid contents, firmness, and instrumental color were determined for fresh strawberries after each harvest period. Experimental data were analyzed using the PROC Mixed model procedure. The effects of the soil-applied biopesticide treatments on strawberry yield varied. The results of strawberry yield suggest that biopesticides applied at the right time and frequency have the potential to perform at similar levels to their conventional counterparts. Camino Real strawberries treated with biopesticides, harvested during mid-April, late April, or mid-May, exhibited acceptable flavor based on the recommended values of TA and TSS for strawberries. The biopesticides showed no negative effects on yield and fruit quality and thus they could serve as alternatives to conventional products used. Full article

Plant-derived biopesticides are emerging as a promising and popular alternative for promoting cleaner and safer agricultural practices. The present work aims to explore Argyranthemum frutescens (Asteraceae) as a source of botanical pesticides and to validate this through a cultivation process. To this task, a bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanolic root extracts from both wild and cultivated A. frutescens on phytopathogenic fungi of Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, and Alternaria alternata was conducted. This approach led to the identification of polyacetylenes with higher potency than commercial fungicides. Specifically, compounds 3 (capillin) and 5 (frutescinone) showed more than 90% growth inhibition at 0.05 mg/mL concentration on B. cinerea, while compounds 2 (capillinol) and 3 were also more active than positive controls, Fosbel-Plus and Azoxystrobin, against F. oxysporum. The structures of the isolated polyacetylenes (1–6, 9, and 10) and alkamides (7, 8, and 11) were determined through spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configuration of stereocenter C1 of compounds 1, 2, 4 and 9 was determined by NMR-spectroscopy with (R)-(-)-α-methoxy-phenylacetic as a chiral derivatizing agent, and biogenetic considerations. Overall, this study supports the potential of polyacetylenes as promising agrochemical lead compounds against phytopathogens, and validates A. frutescens cultivation as a viable source of biopesticides. Full article

The toxicity of synthetic pesticides to non-target organisms has prompted a shift towards more environmentally friendly agricultural pest control methods, including the use of essential oils as possible biopesticides. Before these natural chemicals can be widely adopted for protecting food supplies and human health, it is crucial to evaluate their impacts on pollinators, such as honey bees. In this study, we examined the effects of one commercially available essential oil mixture (EcoTec+) and four essential oil components (β-bisabolene, cinnamaldehyde, 1,8-cineole, and eugenol) on honey bee workers using feeding or spray treatment. We then assessed the responses of esterase (EST), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), acetylcholine esterase (AChE), and P450. EcoTec+ increased the P450 transcript, while bisabolene inhibited EST and AChE, increased GST, and caused a mixed P450 response without being lethal. Cinnamaldehyde exhibited toxicity when ingested, suppressing P450 and eliciting a mixed response in AChE. Cineole inhibited EST but caused a mixed P450 response. Eugenol suppressed EST and AChE and was toxic on contact. We also assayed combinations of each compound with four synthetic formulations representative of the major pesticide categories, though no significant interactions were found. Overall, the essential oils tested did not cause acute lethal toxicity to honey bees; however, their biochemical effects varied, mostly remaining sublethal. These findings suggest that these essential oils could be considered safe for use around honey bees. Full article

Beauveria bassiana PfBb is a new strain with high host specificity to the target pest Phauda flammans. We conducted a series of experiments to optimize the biphasic fermentation system of B. bassiana PfBb by screening the medium compositions and fermentation environmental conditions in both liquid and solid fermentations. In the liquid fermentation, glucose and yeast extract with a C:N ratio of 17:1 were the optimal carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, for B. bassiana PfBb mycelium growth and blastospore production, and liquid fermentation with an inoculation concentration of 1 × 10⁸/mL and an inoculum content of 50 mL conidial suspension, at 180 rpm/min rotation speed, pH 7 and 26 °C, favored mycelium growth. However, additional trace elements did not significantly improve liquid fermentation. In the solid fermentation, wheat bran and chaff at a ratio of 8:2 were identified as the best substrates that facilitated B. bassiana PfBb sporulation and conidial germination, and optimal substrates with 20% inoculum content, 50% water content, and 3-day fermentation in darkness had the highest conidia yield. The resulting conidia, stored at −20, 4, and 20 °C for one year, did not significantly change the water content, and with prolonged storage duration, conidial germination was significantly higher at −20 and 4 °C. Moreover, conidia stored at 4 °C for one year maintained its validity and virulence, which were toxic to all instar larvae of P. flammans. Our results provide essential support for the commercial production of B. bassiana PfBb-based biopesticides. Full article

The use of chemical pesticides has significantly improved crop yields and global food security but poses risks to environment and human health. To address this, nanobiopesticides, combining nanomaterials and biopesticide, have emerged as a potential alternative. Therefore, this article evaluates their sustainability and safety through a literature review using Scopus. The results indicate that nanobiopesticides offer advantages over conventional pesticides, including greater precision, controlled release, and reduced dosage requirements. An illustrative Life Cycle Assessment conducted in this study confirmed that they potentially offer more sustainability than commercial pesticides, showing reductions in environmental impacts from −6% to −99%. However, several gaps remain related to the effect of nanoparticles on non-target organisms and biodiversity, bioaccumulation, and environmental persistence in ecosystems, and their ecotoxicological safety. Additionally, regulatory frameworks in major agricultural markets are complex and fragmented, potentially hindering large-scale adoption. Currently, nanobiopesticides are commercially available in countries such as the U.S., India, and Brazil, primarily for pest control in crops like rice, maize, and vegetables. Their market presence is growing, yet widespread implementation will depend on clearer regulations and further research on long-term environmental impacts. Full article

Plant-derived biopesticides have gained attention in agriculture as a pest control method that minimizes the negative effects caused by conventional synthetic insecticides to natural enemies. Azamax™ is one of the most commercialized biopesticides in Brazil, but little is known about its effects on non-target insects such as Ceraeochrysa claveri, a non-target insect that is economically important as a pest predator, used in this study. To evaluate the toxic effects of azadirachtin on fitness and ovarian development, a total of 450 C. claveri larvae were exposed by ingestion to subdoses (36 mg/L (0.3%) and 60 mg/L (0.5%) of azadirachtin for 15 days and after that, biological parameters and ovarian development were analyzed. The doses tested corresponded to the minimum and maximum concentrations used in the field. The results demonstrated that both tested doses of the biopesticide significantly reduced survival rates, delayed and extended larval and pupal development times, caused malformations in the body, altered the ultrastructure of adult ovaries, and induced cell death in ovarian follicles. Azamax™, a biopesticide marketed as a reduced-risk insecticide, was shown to have detrimental effects on the lifespan and ovarian development of C. claveri. Full article

Growing demands for environmentally safe and sustainable pest management have increased interest in biopesticides as alternatives to synthetic chemical pesticides. This review presents the current status of bioacaricides, defined as commercial biopesticide products based on microorganisms (microbial acaricides) and biologically active substances of microbial, plant or animal origin (biochemicals and semiochemicals) used in crop protection against spider mites (Tetranychidae) and other plant-feeding mites. The most important microbial bioacaricides are mycopesticides, which are products manufactured from living propagules of Beauveria bassiana s.l. and several other acaropathogenic fungi. Products based on avermectins and milbemycins, secondary metabolites of actinomycetes, are well-known examples of biochemicals of microbial origin. Among the biochemicals of plant origin, the most widely used to date have been the products based on pyrethrum—obtained from the Dalmatian daisy, Tanacetum cinerariifolium (Asteraceae)—and azadirachtin, obtained from the Indian neem tree, Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae). In recent years, products based on essential oils from aromatic plants belonging to the families Lamiaceae, Myrtaceae, Rutaceae and others have also gained increasing importance in the market. Special emphasis in this review is given to the compatibility of bioacaricides with predatory mites of the family Phytoseiidae as biological control agents used in the integrated management of plant-feeding mites. Full article

Aspergillus carbonarius is considered one of the main fungi responsible for black and sour rot in grapes, as well as the production of the carcinogenic mycotoxin ochratoxin A. The global regulatory methyltransferase protein LaeA controls the production of various secondary metabolites in Aspergillus species, as well as influences sexual and asexual reproduction and morphology. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of the regulatory gene AclaeA in physiology, virulence, and ochratoxin A (OTA) production by deleting this gene from the genome of a wild-type A. carbonarius strain. The evaluation data on the morphological characteristics, virulence experiments in three different grape varieties, and OTA analysis of ΔAclaeA mutants showed that the growth and the OTA production by ΔAclaeA strains were significantly reduced. The mutant strains were also less virulent, producing 40–50% less conidia in three different cultivars of grape berries. Additionally, the gene AclaeA was considerably repressed after the application of three commercial biopesticides (Trianum-P^®, Vacciplant^®, and Serenade^® Max) and the essential oils (EOs) cinnamon, geranium, and thyme, which were also shown to inhibit OTA biosynthesis in A. carbonarius. The study of the regulatory gene AclaeA can contribute to a broader understanding of the role of secondary metabolites during A. carbonarius—grape interactions, as well as the discovery of the mode of action of biological plant protection products and EOs against this mycotoxigenic fungus. Full article

Considering the detrimental impacts of the current pesticides on the biotic components of the biosphere, the development of novel pesticides is vital. Plant-derived biopesticides have emerged as popular alternatives to create a safer and more sustainable agriculture model. This study aims to validate the previous bioguided fractionation of endemic Canary Islands sage, Salvia canariensis, as a potential source of botanical pesticides using a cultivation process. Accordingly, the bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanolic extract of the leaves of cultivated S. canariensis on the phytopathogenic fungal mycelia of Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, and Alternaria alternata yielded six known terpenoids. Their abietane diterpenoid-type (1–5) and sesquiterpenoid (6) structures were established based on spectroscopic and spectrometric analysis. This strategy identified one abietane diterpenoid, salviol (5), as a potential candidate for the future development of biofungicides with similar potency towards the assayed phytopathogenic fungi to commercial fungicides. Salviol worked in a concentration-dependent manner. Overall, this study reinforces the potential of abietane-type diterpenoids as promising agrochemical lead compounds against infectious diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi and validates the cultivation of S. canariensis as a potential source of plant-derived biopesticides. Full article

The use of biological plant protection products is promising for agriculture. In particular, chitosan-based biopesticides have become widespread for stimulating growth and protecting plants from a wide range of pathogens. Novochizol is a product obtained by intramolecular cross-linking of linear chitosan molecules and has a globular shape, which provides it with a number of advantages over chitosan. Novochizol has previously been shown to have a stimulating effect on the growth and development of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). However, the effect of this preparation on the protective mechanisms against rust diseases has not been studied before. Our studies have revealed the dose effect of the preparation on the development of stem rust of wheat. When treating plants with novochizol at a concentration of 0.125% four days before infection, the best results were obtained, namely: a stable reaction was observed and the number of pustules decreased. To identify critical points of the drug’s effect on the protective mechanism against stem rust, we used an adrenaline test, which allows for a quick assessment of the pro/antioxidant status of plant extracts. We also assessed the activity of the major antioxidant enzymes, peroxidase and catalase, using commercial kits and the Folin–Ciocalteu reaction to assess the concentration of phenolic compounds. As a result, two stages were identified in infected plants pretreated with novochizol: early (up to 10 h after inoculation), characterized by antioxidant activity, and late (10–244 h), with prooxidant activity. These stages correspond to two peaks of accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to pathogen infection. The first peak is associated with the accumulation of superoxide anion O₂−, which is converted into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide under the action of the enzyme SOD (superoxide dismutase). The second peak is associated with the accumulation of H₂O₂. Hydrogen peroxide performs a protective function leading to the death of pathogen mycelial cells. In comparison with infected plants without novochizol treatment, we found a decrease in the activity of catalase (an enzyme that breaks down H₂O₂) at both stages, as well as peroxidase in the interval from 10 to 144 h after inoculation. Also, an increase in the concentration of phenolic compounds was found in the treated infected plants. We suggest that these changes under the influence of pretreatment with novochizol contribute to enhancements in plant defense functions against stem rust. Taking into account the physicochemical advantages of novochizol over chitosan, which provide a very low effective dose of the drug, the obtained results indicate its promise and safety as a biological plant protection product. This work is a preliminary stage for an extended analysis of the effect of novochizol on plant immunity using biochemical and molecular genetic approaches. Full article