How bacteria, fungi, and viruses can assist with pest management

Microbial Pest Control Agents (MPCA) include microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and
viruses, or their bioactive agents that can be utilized as active substances. MPCA are employed
as alternative strategies to chemical insecticides preventing resistance development and
minimizing negative environmental and human health consequences (Deshayes et al., 2017).
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is the world’s most frequently used bioinsecticide in integrated pest
management (IPM) programs, being primarily responsible for producing crystal delta-endotoxins
and secretory toxins. The Bt toxins, however, are unstable for extended periods of time and are
extremely vulnerable to solar UV. As a result, genetically modified plants in which toxins are
expressed have been produced accounting for a significant part of the phytosanitary biological
products (Abbas, 2018). Furthermore, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae are
entomopathogenic fungi that have also been used due to their insecticidal properties
(Mohammadbeigi & Port, 2015). Lastly, the only viruses that are used as MPCA are
baculoviruses which are utilized as biological control agents since they are the safest. They infect
insects and possess a limited range of hosts (Rohrmann, 2019). Most of the research on MPCA’s
to humans, non-target organisms, and the environment have only found acute toxicity, whereas
chronic toxicity has not been discovered. The purpose of this essay is to outline how bacteria,
fungi and viruses can be used to assist with pest management