ABSTRACT
Many insect pests are susceptible to infection by naturally occurring insect pathogenic fungi. Several fungi have been studied as potential mycoinsecticides. These fungi are very specific to insects, often to particular species, and do not infect animals or plants. Fungi provide a needed control of insects with sucking mouth parts. While, bacteria and viruses must be ingested to cause disease, fungi can cause infection by penetrating the outer structure of insects. Fungi provide the only satisfactory microbial means ofbiocontrol of plant sucking insects such as aphids and white flies that are not susceptible to bacteria and viruses. These are living, infectious microbial agents that have contact activity like many chemical insecticides. However, they are slow acting and take about 3-7 days to kill their insect hosts; in this regard their use is analogous to insect growth regulators.
