Author
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Humber, Richard |
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Submitted to: Encyclopedia of Microbiology
Publication Type: Review Article Publication Acceptance Date: 6/9/2008 Publication Date: 4/1/2009 Citation: Humber, R.A. 2009. Entomogenous fungi. Encyclopedia of Microbiology, 3rd ed. p. 443-456. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: This document serves as a supplement to my previously published contribution to the Encyclopedia of Microbiology to extend and to update the content of that article for a printed volume extracting selected articles on eukaryotic microbes from the third edition of the Encyclopedia. Topics treated in these comments include the following: (1) The effects and implications for entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs) of the recent phylogenetic reclassification of fungi, (2) the presence of Beauveria--but, strangely, not of other other equally nonspecific, ubiquitous and important EPFs--as an endophyte in a wide range of herbaceous and woody plants, (3) how EPFs have seemed to violate the ecological concept that similar organisms are excluded from a occupied ecological niche (that, in this case, multiple similar entomopathogenic fungi may occur simultaneously in a single niche), (4) discussion on the range and importance of EPFs producing enzymes that degrade plant-specific substrates, (5) that full genomic sequences of several imporant EPFs are now being obtained and annotated, (6) that the ability of EPFs to become endophytes opens a new strategy for their use as biological control agents, and (6) some closing general comments on the current trends in the use of microbial biological control agents to control arthropod pests. |
