An entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) was recovered by using Galleria baiting technique from the soils of marigold fields of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. Based on morphological, morphometrical and molecular characterizations, the isolated strain was identified as Steinernema abbasi and tagged as CS38. The isolated strain was conspecific to original description with minor deviations. Infective juveniles

The Egyptian cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is one of the major insect pests, causing a significant damage on different cultivated agricultural crops. Developing an alternative non-chemical tool, an effective and environmentally friendly method to suppress pest's infestation is essentially needed. Therefore, biological control by releasing the egg parasitoids

The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is one of the most damaging pests of crops grown in open field and under protected conditions. Owing to the indiscriminate use of insecticides, whitefly has developed resistance against various insecticides belonging to different chemical groups. Use of microbial biopesticides (entomopathogenic fungi) can be an effective alternate to chemical

The alphabaculoviruses are lethal pathogens of lepidopteran caterpillars including a polyphagous and globally recognized pest, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) infesting economically important agriculture crops worldwide. The biological and molecular characterizations of indigenous nucleopolyhedrovirus of the genus Alphabaculovirus isolated from H. armigera in chickpea fields are described. The virulence

This study aimed to investigate the rhizosphere bacterial isolates’ antagonistic property against the soil-borne fungal phytopathogen, Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. (Athelia rolfsii (Curzi) Tu & Kimbrough). The chemical control of the disease caused by S. rolfsii is economically and environmentally unsustainable, and therefore, a bio-control agent in the form of rhizospheric bacteria is gaining importance

Sclerotium rolfsii is a soil-borne fungal pathogen causing diseases in more than 500 plant species. It causes southern blight disease in chili. Chemical fungicides are used to control this disease, which also pollute the environment. The present study was designed to assess the potential of two species of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) viz. Bacillus megaterium and Pseudomonas fluorescence

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) is an insect pest species responsible for damages of citrus fruit quality and tree health. This insect is a vector of bacteria ‘Candidatus Liberibacter’ spp. a putative causal agent of citrus greening disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB), considered one of the most destructive diseases of citrus orchards worldwide. Disease management

Fungal stem end rot disease of pitaya caused by Alternaria alternata is one of the most destructive diseases in Binh Thuan province, Vietnam. This study aimed to assess the antagonistic effects of some endophytic bacteria isolated from the weed plant (Echinochloa colonum) against A. alternata. A total of 19 endophytic bacteria were isolated and 5 of them presented in vitro antagonistic activity against

Biological control of insects is the current goal of modern researches to avoid using the harmful chemicals. Some fungi are capable of infecting and killing insects and, hence, are commonly known as entomopathogenic fungi (EPF). On the other hand, some insects can kill harmful fungal strains using their products such as peptides. Hence, the aim of this review article is to highlight the use of EPF

Species belonging to the genus Trichoderma are considered as one of the most potential biocontrol agents which can be readily collected from soil and found effective against various fungal and bacterial diseases. In rice-growing areas, the major fungal pathogens affecting rice production include Rhizoctonia solani causing sheath blight and Sclerotium oryzae causing stem rot disease of rice. Due to

The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glov. (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a major insect pest on a wide range of plants that causes high damage and transmits plant viruses. This study was carried out to evaluate an indigenous isolate, Beauveria bassiana (Bb), and extracts of 5 plant species: Psiadia penninervia, Pulicaria crispa, Euryops arabicus, Salvia officinalis, and Ochradenus baccatus against A. gossypii

Egg parasitoids belonging to the genus Trichogramma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) are important natural enemies that have been successfully used in biological control programs and mostly reared on the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Host quality is a crucial factor that can determine parasitoid fitness. Laboratory studies were carried out to evaluate

Fruit flies are important insect pests of horticultural crops. Pesticides used to control them which cause environmental and health hazards; therefore, other alternative sustainable management measures are required. Successful implementation of an integrated pest management program, using biological control agents, needs synchronization of parasitoids with hosts selection and exposure time. The present

The predatory mites, Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), N. barkeri (Hughes), and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot, are important predators attacking many insect and mite pests. They can coexist in the same habitat and engage in intraguild predation (IGP). IGP was assessed among the exotic one N. californicus and the native species N. barkeri and A. swirskii as Intraguild predator (IG-predator)/intraguild

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an important pest of tomatoes that reduces yield and fruit quality resulting in losses of up to 100%. The pest has developed resistance to chemical insecticides, therefore necessitating alternative control measures. The entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae have been exploited extensively

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) produces a group of δ-endotoxin proteins designated as cry toxins. No doubt that Bt isolates are excellent potential candidates for biological control strategies. The present study showed that 12 Bt strains were isolated and characterized at morphological, biochemical, and molecular levels. All the tested 12 Bt strains were gram-positive, endospore-forming, and possessing

Ralstonia solanacearum causes bacterial wilt disease in tomato and other crops resulting in huge economic losses worldwide. Several measures have been explored for the control of R. solanacearum, but the desired control level of the disease through sustainable and ecofriendly way is still awaited. In this study, fungal metabolites produced by Trichoderma harzianum were investigated in the form of crude

In this study, commercial bioinsecticides including entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, and Verticillium lecanii, and Spinetoram active ingredient insecticide were evaluated against the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) larvae. The active ingredients were prepared at the recommended concentrations under laboratory conditions

Soft rot disease caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum was observed in various crops which lead to yield shortages and economic losses. Therefore, both in vitro and in vivo experiments, aim to assess the effect of nanoparticles and biological treatments to control soft rot disease in sugar beet plant. The treatments comprised three silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) concentrations (50, 75, and 100 ppm),

Metarhizium species are considered one of the most outstanding powerful biological control agents that have been commercialized as biopesticides against various agricultural pests. Fungal stability with successive in vitro cultivation is a desirable trait for a large-scale production of fungal biopesticide. The new Egyptian strain Metarhizium anisopliae AUMC 3262 exhibited auspicious results when compared

The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), is the world’s most damaging (30–100%) pest infesting important fruits and vegetables. Its control is highly challenging due to its polyphagous, multivoltine nature, and unexposed developmental stages. No known fruit fly-resistant guava germplasm is reported so far worldwide. RNAi approach in guava against fruit fly can provide an attractive alternative

Organic amendments are well known for influencing soil nematode community structure, diversities, and activities. Most of the previous studies focused on effects of organic amendments on plant-parasitic nematodes, but only a few investigated the effect of combination of biocontrol agents and organic amendments on soil nematodes. Different organic amendments (neem cake, poultry manure, and neem leaves)

The common green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea (Steph.) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) is a polyphagous and efficient predatory species commonly found in a wide range of agricultural habitats. It plays an important role in biological control of pests. The effect of temperature on developmental rate of the predator C. carnea was studied at 7 constant temperatures, 15, 20, 25, 27, 30, 32, and 35 °C, 50 ± 10%

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) harboring symbiotic bacteria are one of the safest alternatives to the chemical insecticides for the control of various insect pests. Infective juveniles of EPNs locate a target insect, enter through the openings, and reach the hemocoel, where they release the symbiotic bacteria and the target gets killed by the virulence factors of the bacteria. Photorhabdus with

The fungus, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuil., is one of the most important entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs). Recently, its new role was discovered in nature, to be an endophyte in plants. It has been reported as an endophytic fungus in many monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. The study was conducted to evaluate the ability of the fungus, B. bassiana, to colonize and persist in cucumber plants

The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) is one of the major pests in cabbage which causes severe loss to the cruciferous crops. Entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae have been established as endophytes in cabbage plants by seed treatment/root inoculation/foliar application methods in glasshouse conditions. A glasshouse experiment was conducted

Broad-spectrum pesticides and Bt crops have been used against the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), but their effect on the environment and the development of resistance are the main limitations for these control measures. The use of mycobiopesticides is an ecofriendly and efficient alternative. Fungicides have a wide distribution and a high genetic variability

Root-knot nematodes are among the world’s most damaging endoparasitic sedentary nematodes, especially, Meloidogyne incognita that infects a wide range of plant hosts. The activity of different antagonistic bacteria was studied for the low-cost and eco-friendly management of M. incognita on eggplant. Twenty-five isolates were isolated from rhizosphere soils infected with nematodes. Of these, 6 isolates

Fusarium crown rot is one of the major diseases that cause significant yield losses of wheat, and Trichoderma strains were known as an effective biocontrol agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of coating durum wheat seeds of the cultivar “Karim” with 3 different Tunisian strains of Trichoderma sp. (S.INAT, SIO1, SIO2) and the Trichoderma-based commercial product Trianum-T22 on

Fungal endophytes produce a variety of secondary metabolites which can be explored for herbicidal activities. Parthenium is a very aggressive and fast-spreading weed in Pakistan. The endophytes of Parthenium made it superior over other weeds. Those endophytes can be isolated, identified, and incorporated in sustainable agriculture to biologically control other severe weeds. The present study was conducted

The walnut aphid species Chromaphis juglandicola Kalt. and Panaphis juglandis (Goeze) are destructive insect pests. Harmonia axyridis (Pall.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is the main predatory insect with a wide geographical distribution. The feeding behavior of the predator against the two different aphid species might influence bio-control efficacy in walnut orchards. Functional response of H. axyridis

Egypt forms a home for the highest number of recorded Mantodea species of the Palaearctic Region. The status and ecology of such diversity are far from being completely understood. Through this study, the similarity of Mantodea species composition among Egyptian ecological zones has been examined by using the Sørensen-Dice coefficient, beside the calculation of species richness for each zone. Also

Mycosis on the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), infecting maize was observed in research farm of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Anakapalli from October 2019 to February 2020. High relative humidity (94.87%), low temperature (24.11 °C), and high rainfall (376.1 mm) received during the month of September 2019 predisposed the larval instars for fungal

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is one of the most popular vegetable crops in Egypt. It is affected by a wide range of pests; prominent among them is root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne spp. which constitutes a major group of plant-parasitic nematodes causing great economic losses worldwide especially in Egypt. The present investigation was performed under greenhouse conditions to evaluate the potentials

Agriculture is an indispensable part of any country to feed the millions of people but it is under constant threat of pests. To protect the crops from this huge yield loss recently, chemical pesticides are used. Though chemical pesticides have shown effective results in killing the crop pests, it causes negative impact on the environment as well as humans. So to find an eco-friendly alternative, biological

Cyanobacteria possess a wide array of bioactive compounds including those with antimicrobial activities. The target was to investigate the UV effect on antimicrobial activity of cyanobacterial extracts. Several cyanobacterial strains were isolated from Eastern region of KSA as well as three plant pathogenic bacterial strains. Four cyanobacterial strains were used. Two strains were isolated from Al

The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), is a serious pest of stored grain commodities worldwide which results in considerable losses to stored wheat, Triticum aestivum (Linn.). The present laboratory bioassay was carried out to examine the efficiency of the fungus, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) formulation (Racer TM), and Neem extract (NE), Eucalyptus extract (EE)

The successful rearing of predators or parasitoids is one of the most important elements in biological control programs. The dried fruit mite, Carpoglyphus lactis (L.), can be used as an alternative prey for the phytoseiid predatory mite, Amblyseius swirs0kii (Athias-Henriot). This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of 3 different diets for C. lactis when rearing A. swirskii: brown sugar, baker’s

Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is one of the most harmful pests in greenhouses and in open fields. The present study aimed to assess in vitro virulence of 3 entomopathogenic fungal strains (EPFs) of Lecanicillium lecanii 3 (V-3), 4 (V-4), and 5 (V-5) against the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), by spray method. The 3 disparate bioassays were performed

The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is the major insect pest of fruit production worldwide. Chemical control of this pest has induced the selection of resistant medflies populations and negative environmental impact. In addition, the use of pesticides has become an obstacle to the fresh agricultural products exported to many countries that restrict pesticides

Biological alternatives to pesticides in agriculture do not harm non-targets organisms including natural enemies of insect pests. Experiments were conducted at sugarcane fields during 2015 to 2019 to assess large scale biocontrol practices, involving inundative releases of trichogrammatids against lepidopteran borers in comparison to conventional chemical-based farmers’ practice. Eight releases each

Contents of carbohydrates, protein, and lipids in tissues of insect prey constitute the required energy reserve utilized by their predators. Their amounts define the preference of the predator to certain prey on which its biological performance is the optimum. Feeding preferences and longevity of the 3 coccinellid beetles; Coccinella septempunctata L., C. undecimpunctata L., and Scymnus interruptus

Xylanase enzyme plays an important role in nature as being a part of protecting the environment from pollution. It has also various industrial applications. Marine fungal isolate was recovered from red sea water at Sharm El-Sheikh province, Egypt, and tested for xylanase activity, using different agricultural wastes as a substrate. It was found that rice straw was the best substrate for xylanase production

Bean thrips, Megalurothrips distalis (Karny), are a serious insect pest of mung bean grown in summer season as a catch crop in wheat–rice cropping system in North West India. Severe incidence leads to flower shedding and fewer pods leading to loss in grain yield. Field studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of horticultural mineral oils, neem-based botanicals, and pongamia soap in the form

The tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the key pests of tomato worldwide, causing an estimated crop loss of 80 to 100%. This pest has developed resistance to several pesticides due to overuse, resulting in control failures in the field. The use of biological insecticides as Bacillus thuringiensis that expressed insecticidal proteins can be an alternative tool

Diadegma insulare (Cresson) is the most efficient parasitoid of Plutella xylostella (L.) in cruciferous crops. Considering its effectiveness, the present study was performed to investigate the impacts of cauliflower and cabbage cultivars under 3 different temperature regimes on the parasitism efficiency and offspring sex ratio of D. insulare. This study revealed that D. insulare remained active at

Potato represents Egypt’s largest vegetable export crop. Many plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are globally inflicting damage to potato plants. In Egypt, their economic significance considerably varies according to PPN distribution, population levels, and pathogenicity. This review article highlights the biology, ecology, and economic value of the PPN control viewpoint. The integration of biological

The phylogeny and phylogenetic relationships of Trichoderma species were investigated by many methods including maximum parsimony and distance analysis of DNA sequences from multiple genetic loci. 5.8S rDNA sequence analysis is a powerful tool in evolution studies. The aim of this study was to identify and determine the genetic distance between 36 Trichoderma isolates from Egyptian and Saudi Arabian

Groundnut, Arachis hypogaea L., crop is an important oil seed crop in India and is prone to attack by numerous fungal and viral diseases, among the soil-borne diseases, stem rot caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. is economically important. Incidence (86.6%) of the stem rot disease was recorded in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India, during the roving survey. For its management, an attempt was made

Verticillium dahliae is one of the most destructive pathogens in many cotton-growing countries around the globe. There is still the lack of high-resistant upland cotton cultivars against this pathogen, and the usage of fungicides is threatening the environment. Biocontrol is an environment-friendly and a green technique in plant protection. In this regard, the present work was aimed to investigate

Fungi are one of the microorganisms that cause most damage to fruits worldwide, affecting their quality and consumption. Chemical controls with pesticides are used to diminish postharvest losses of fruits. However, biological control with microorganisms or natural compounds is an increasing alternative to protect fruits and vegetables. In this study, the antifungal effect of Streptomyces sp. CACIS-1

Modern methods of stored wheat grain protection from insect pests strive towards optimizing the use of different techniques and methods within integrated pest management (IPM) programs. One of the methods of integral grain protection is the application of natural originating insecticides. The potential of the natural origin synthetic insecticide abamectin (a product of soil bacteria, Streptomyces avermitilis

The predatory species, Clitostethus brachylobus Peng, Ren & Pang 1998 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), native to China, has been reported as a predator of the whitefly species, Bemisia tabaci (Genn.). Present study describes the development and biological characteristics of C. brachylobus. Developmental periods of different immature stages showed significant differences, when fed on different life stages

Ascochyta blight caused by a fungal pathogen, Ascochyta rabiei, is a serious disease of chickpea in most chickpea growing areas of the world. The disease can be controlled by fungicides to reduce the environmental pollution. This study reports the control of Ascochyta blight by using extracts and dry biomass of a weed plant, Withania somnifera (Family Solanaceae). In a laboratory bioassay, a 0.2% concentration

Fusarium wilt biocontrol using endophytic microorganisms may represent a potentially attractive and environmentally safe alternative since endophytes could better limit disease incidence and severity through inhibition of the systemic fungus progress. Twenty-three endophytic bacterial isolates, naturally associated with Solanum sodomaeum and Solanum bonariense, were evaluated for their ability to control

The goal of the present research was to ascertain the potential root endophytic fungi against Dematophora necatrix, Hartig, the causal pathogen of white root rot in apples; however, it has an expanded range of hosts across different fruit trees. Out of 36 endophytic fungi segregated from symptomless roots of apple, wheat, maize, marigold, cherry, and garlic plants, only 9 isolates showed inhibitory

Attempts based on increasing the efficacy of Baculovirus and/or reducing the application concentration of synthetic insecticides through integrated lepidopteran management are appreciated role for conserving the environment. Impact of the multiple nucleopolyhedrosis virus (SpliMNPV) with emamectin benzoate (Em) against the cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis, was examined to identify the effective

Three parasitoid species viz. Aphelinus asychis Walker (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Aphidius ervi (Haliday) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitizing the aphid species Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in mid-hills of north India were studied. At different locations and times of the year, the parasitization by A. asychis, A. ervi

Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is one of the most devastating diseases in tomato cultivation. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Bacillus and Trichoderma isolates to manage the bacterial wilt disease. Field experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design at Mwea and Kabete sites in Kenya. The treatments included 3 Trichoderma; 2 Bacillus isolates; a mixture

Effects of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana, Verticillium alfalfae, and Trichoderma viride; secondary metabolites of MS1 (B. bassiana) and MS2 (V. alfalfae); and Dimethoate active substances on the aphid species, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), were tested. Fungus isolates were prepared as 107 conidia ml−1 of spore suspensions and applied on the 2nd instar nymphs of A. gossypii