Improving Insect Control Using Genetically Modified Entomopathogens

Abstract

Entomopathogens, employed as biological control, were formulated as eco-friendly substitutes for chemical insecticide. Nevertheless, microbial-based insecticides were implicated to be commercially inadequate based on their indiscriminate efficacy and low virulence. The resistance, pathogenicity, and virulence of entomopathogens to adverse conditions were greatly enhanced by genetic engineering. Improvement of virulence was achieved by modifying entomopathogens to express insecticidal proteins/peptides. The continued use of synthetic chemical insecticides remains an apprehension by the public as well as their approval of genetically modified organisms including inventive biological insecticides which provide diverse beneficial and environmentally sustainable options to control insect pests. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.