A Review of Commercial Metarhizium- and Beauveria-Based Biopesticides for the Biological Control of Ticks in the USA

Abstract

There is a need for the development of sustainable, nonchemical tick management strategies. Mycoacaricide and mycoinsecticide product development worldwide has focused primarily on fungi in the genera Beauveria (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) and Metarhizium (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae). Microbial biopesticides containing entomopathogenic fungi have potential in tick management. However, despite considerable progress in the development of fungal biopesticides over the past 20 years, the establishment of commercial products available for use against ticks continues to be slow. We reviewed published scientific literature and compiled a comprehensive list of reports of the effectiveness of commercial biopesticides based on the fungal genera Metarhizium and Beauveria and registered for use in the USA against ixodid ticks under laboratory and field conditions. We also report on results when these biopesticides were used as a part of integrated tick management. Until efficacious fungus-based products become more available, tick management will rely primarily on synthetic chemical acaricides, with natural-product acaricides as the alternative.

Correlation of fruit tree rhizosphere soils with entomopathogenic fungi

“…This is consistent with the results of a previous study, in which entomopathogenic fungi were isolated from soil samples in Korea using the same selective medium as the experimental method of this study (Shin et al 2013). These two species are the most well-known entomopathogenic fungi, making them useful as biocontrol agents against a range of pests in numerous nations (Sullivan et al 2022). They are also the most often isolated species in many other nations (Sevim et al 2010).…”

Diversity of entomopathogenic fungi from soils of eucalyptus and soybean crops and natural forest areas

“…The collection of Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Metarhizium from all environments confirms the wide distribution of these fungi in most regions of the world in different habitats, soil types, plants, and plant residues, in both air and water (Edel-Hermann et al, 2015;Heo et al, 2019;Glare et al, 2021). The presence of Metarhizium in all habitats, especially soybean, confirms reports of a strong association of species of this this fungus genus with soils in cultivated habitats, particularly field crops (Quesada-Moraga et al, 2007), and its relationship with different hosts, including forest and agricultural pests (Sullivan et al, 2022). The lower diversity of entomopathogenic fungi in soybean, with the presence only of this genus is, probably, due to fungicide use to manage diseases in this crop (Alves and Juliatti, 2018).…”

Pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana PfBb and Immune Responses of a Non-Target Host, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

“…However, an improved understanding of the pathogenicity of entomogenous fungi is a prerequisite for evaluating pest control efficiency. To date, some entomopathogenic fungi have been commercialized and widely used for pest management in greenhouses and fields, especially Beauveria bassiana [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Many studies have shown that B. bassiana has significant lethal effects on a variety of insect pests, such as Ostrinia furnacalis [ 8 ], Cylas formicarius [ 9 ], Bemisia tabaci [ 10 ], Lycorma delicatula [ 5 ], Frankliniella occidentalis [ 6 ], and Leptinotarsa decemlineata [ 4 ].…”