ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI: REVOLUTIONARY ALLIES IN SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT AND THE OVERCOMING OF CHALLENGES IN LARGE-SCALE FIELD APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) act as promising eco-friendly biological alternatives to traditional chemical pesticides because they deliver several beneficial features for sustainable pest control. The infection mechanisms that EPF use to target specific insect pests through adhesion, enzymatic degradation and immune system evasion have made them desirable for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems. The adoption of EPF remains restricted at large scale because of their slow operation speed paired with formulation complexity. EPF stability increased as well as their efficacy did through recent advances in genetic engineering and microencapsulation and biopolymer-based formulations which makes them functional under diverse environmental conditions. Future research needs to continue because it will address both environmental and economic obstacles and improve formulation methods while evaluating the program's sustained effects. The solution of environmental and economic challenges will enable EPF to match chemical pesticides while supporting sustainable agriculture and improving worldwide food security