Vol. 13 No. 62-83 (2022): Biopesticide potentials of entomopathogenic microorganisms in the control of Malaria vectors

Although chemical insecticide application against mosquito vectors has been the key element in malaria vector management programmes, their efficacy and potency have been greatly threatened by the evolution of insecticide-resistant mosquitoes. These situations have pushed the malaria vector control experts towards the discovery and development of new novel environmentally friendly bio-pesticide agents with distinct potential to combat the challenges associated with the use of synthetic insecticides. The uses of biological agents that are environmentally friendly against the malarial vector, Anopheline mosquito, are one of the vital parts of the recently launched malaria eradication programme. Entomopathogenic bacteria and fungi are some microorganisms that have the potency to grow on or in insects, eventually killing them. These microorganisms have been well documented to control larvae of both agricultural, forestry and medically important insect pest. In the current study, it is worthy of note that Bacteria isolates including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus polymyxa, Bacillus thuringiensis, as well as, Fungi isolates such as Beauveria spp and Metarhizium spp have been well reported to possess a variety of metabolites with mosquito-larvicidal and -adulticidal potencies. An attempt has been made in this current review to explore the recent development of Entomopathogenic bacteria and fungi in malaria vector control. Findings from the present review thus suggest proper exploitation of these microorganism communities in the development of novel integrated control against the malarial vector.