[en] The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a highly polyphagous pest that has rapidly expanded across Africa, Asia, and Oceania, threatening food security and agricultural productivity. Reliance on synthetic insecticides for FAW management is increasingly challenged by insecticide resistance, environmental contamination, and adverse effects on non-target organisms and human health. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the potential of endophytic fungi as a sustainable strategy for FAW management. Following a systematic literature search, 59 original research articles published over the past 41 years were evaluated. These studies investigated 44 fungal species across 37 host crops, with Zea mays representing the most extensively studied system. The fungal species most frequently assessed were Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato (s.l.), and Epichloe coenophialum. Overall, several fungal species successfully colonized plant tissues and reduced FAW performance through increased larval mortality, delayed development, and reduced feeding. These effects were associated with the production of bioactive secondary metabolites, induction of plant defense responses, and alteration of volatile organic compound emissions. Despite these promising findings, important knowledge gaps remain. Studies assessing effects on non-target organisms and natural enemies are scarce, and field validation remains limited. Research efforts are also geographically biased, with relatively few studies conducted in Africa despite the continent experiencing some of the highest FAW-related losses. Future research should prioritize field evaluations, multitrophic interaction studies, investigations in underrepresented regions, and socio-economic analyses to support farmer adoption. Addressing these gaps will be critical for determining the practical role of endophytic fungi in sustainable FAW management.
Disciplines :
Entomology & pest control
Author, co-author :
Kouanda, Nongamanégré ✱; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Entomologie, Phytopathologie et Productions Innovantes (EPPI) ; Fundamental and Applied Entomology Laboratory, Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre (UFR SVT), Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Ouagadougou 03 BP 7021, Burkina Faso
Ben Fekih, Ibtissem ✱; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Entomologie, Phytopathologie et Productions Innovantes (EPPI)
Cokola Cuma, Marcellin ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Entomologie, Phytopathologie et Productions Innovantes (EPPI) ; Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique, Bukavu P.O. Box 3323, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Hanstson, Anne-Lise; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Polytechnic Faculty, Université de Mons, Place du Parc 20, 7000 Mons, Belgium
Megido, Rudy Caparros; Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Delvigne, Frank ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Microbial technologies
Badolo, Athanase ; Fundamental and Applied Entomology Laboratory, Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre (UFR SVT), Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Ouagadougou 03 BP 7021, Burkina Faso
Francis, Frédéric ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Entomologie, Phytopathologie et Productions Innovantes (EPPI)
✱ These authors have contributed equally to this work.
Language :
English
Title :
Toward Sustainable Management of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): A Review on the Role of Endophytic Fungi in Crop Protection
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