Biological control with a fungus called Beauveria bassiana

Several commercial biological products are based on fungal microorganisms that are antagonistic of insects and fungal pathogens causing severe damage of agricultural plants. Beauveria bassiana is the most wide-spread entomopathogenic fungus, component of several commercial products. This fungus parasitizes a wide range of noxious pests for agricultural plants such as the greenhouse whitefly (T. vaporariorum), different aphid species (Aphis fabae, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Chaetosiphon fragaefolii), thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis and Thrips tabaci) and spider mites (Tetranychus urticae). When spores of B. bassiana come in contact with the skin of a susceptible insect, they penetrate its body, grow inside and kill the insect within few days. Finally, a white mould comes out from the cadaver and produces new spores that can colonize others hosts. Beauveria bassiana based products have not a preharvest interval (PHI), any harmful effects on human or animal health, on groundwater or they have not any unacceptable influence on the environment. Furthermore, no effects of B. bassiana on bees (Apis mellifera) or other pollinators have been observed and the fact that bee vectoring is used to apply this strain would indicate a low risk to bees and other pollinators, making B. bassiana a useful tool in pests management strategies.