ABSTRACT
The locust outbreaks are known to occur across different regions around the globe and have a significant impact on global food security. Large swarms of locust proved havoc to many agricultural croplands and pasturelands in a very few time-period. The swarm of locusts in the recent past represents one of the worst infestations over the past many years in many countries including Ethiopia, Somalia, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Tanzania. The locusts were striving for every little piece of green mass on the earth during swarming and thriving potential crops like cotton, wheat, maize, and vegetable to risk. Toxic insecticides proved negative as hazardous effects on human health, biodiversity, and ecosystem services are bearing some serious abnormalities. The number of chemical insecticides proved costly as millions of dollars were spent during the control program. The use of green 146technologies proved effective for sustainable crop pest management programs around the world as an alternative to synthetic pesticides. So, biological pest management is best suited as an alternative to synthetic insecticide using natural microorganisms like fungi potentially known as entomopathogens. In the recent past, approximately 150 isolates belong to Beauveria and Metarhizium species against desert locusts out of which 50 isolates proved lethal. Among Metarhizium, Metarhizium falvoviride was first reported as the potential bio-control agent. Till now many species including Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, and Isaria fumosorosea proved lethal, but Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum proved best and environmentally much safer to use and have no significant effects on natural bio-control agents. However, the availability of substrates at the local level, the abundance of indigenous virulent fungal isolates, and cheap labor are necessary requirements for the establishment of a successful mycotoxin-based industry.
