Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #229662
Title: Micoinseticidas e Micoacaricidas no Brasil: Como estamos?

Author
item MICHAREFF FILHO, MIGUEL - EMBRAPA, BRASILIA, BRAZIL
item FARIA, MARCOS - EMBRAPA, BRASILIA, BRAZIL
item Wraight, Stephen

Submitted to: Archives of Biological Institute (Sao Paulo)
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/14/2009
Publication Date: 10/1/2009
Citation: Michareff Filho, M., Faria, M., Wraight, S.P. 2009. Micoinseticidas e Micoacaricidas no Brasil: Como estamos?. Archives of Biological Institute (Sao Paulo). 76:769-779.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Mycoinsecticides and mycoacaricides can be defined as biopesticide products based on living propagules of entomopathogenic fungi developed for inundative and inoculative biological control of insects and mites. Based on recently published data on global use of entomopathogenic fungi and a proposal for standardizing the definitions of the various types of mycopesticide formulations, the present review has two main objectives: 1) to analyze the state of the art of Brazilian mycopesticides (mycoinsecticides and mycoacaricides) compared to products developed worldwide and, 2) define these products in terms of the existing international coding system for pesticide formulations. In 2007, 40 products were available in the Brazilian market, with approximately 19 manufacturers under operation. Most Brazilian mycopesticides are not registered, 2.5% of the products are commercialized as unformulated technical material (conidial powders), 72.5% correspond to unformulated technical concentrates (liquid or solid fungus-colonized substrates) and only 25.0% are classified as formulations (all oil dispersions). This contrasts sharply with the situation in industrialized countries, where registered and formulated products predominate. In Brazil, efficacy of mycopesticides has not met user’s expectations on a regular basis, and inconsistency in field trials from site to site and year to year has imposed limitations on the broader adoption of mycopesticides by pest managers. Although technological advances in mycopesticide development in Brazil over the past 30 years have been slower than expected, there is increasing demand for these control agents, particularly in emergent niche markets.