Mycopesticides: Status, challenges and potential

Fungi figure prominently among potential biocontrol agents of major agricultural pests, including weeds and insects. Fungi are among the most important pathogens of plants, and insect pathogenic fungi have long been of interest because of their unique mode of infection and their ability to create epizootics. Despite the fact that mycopesticides have a long experimental history, they have enjoyed only limited commercial success to date. Naturally occurring fungi are considered to be relatively slow acting and unreliable as biocontrol agents. Current research into mass production and formulation problems may provide additional mycopesticides during the current decade. The long-range potential of these biocontrol agents will depend upon the success of new screening programmes, as well as basic research into the molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions.