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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #242213
Title: Fungal Entomopathogens in the Rhizosphere

Author
item Bruck, Denny

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/28/2009
Publication Date: 10/24/2009
Citation: Bruck, D.J. 2009. Fungal Entomopathogens in the Rhizosphere. In: Roy, H.E., Vega, F.E., Chandler, E., Goettel, M.S., Pell, J.K., and Wajnberg, E. editors. The Ecology of Fungal Entomopathogens. Dordrecht, The Netherlands. Springer. 103-112.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Entomopathogenic fungi are found in a wide variety of fungal groups. The order Hypocreales contains the largest number of entomogenous fungi, including two of the most widely studied, Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae). Most studies have focused on the use of these fungi as “plug in” replacements for chemical insecticides with little consideration of the biological niche that the fungi are adapted for in the environment. The successful use of these fungi as “microbial insecticides” has been somewhat sporadic, due in large part to our incomplete understanding of their biology. The biology of fungal pathogens used for insect control, particularly in the soil environment, is an understudied area of insect pathology. The rhizosphere is the region of soil in which the release of root exudates influences the soil microbiota. The study of the biology of entomopathogenic fungi, particularly in the rhizosphere, is gaining momentum as scientists realize the critical role that a more thorough understanding of fungal biology has on the efficacy of their use in microbial control. While our understanding of the biology and significance of entomopathogenic fungi in the rhizosphere is just beginning to take shape, it is clear that an increased understanding of this relationship is a key component in the development of successful microbial control of soil-borne insect pests. The objective of this chapter is to bring together the data available to date on the subject and highlight the tremendous importance that these finding have had on this area of study.