Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

A continuing demand for more innovative and selective ways to control insect pests is driven by the capacity of insects to develop resistance to chemical insecticides and by the need to minimize the impact of these toxic substances on the environment. An alternative is to exploit natural pathogens of insects. In this context, fungi that infect insects are promising candidates for biocontrol. We are studying the virulence factors by which certain biocontrol fungi kill insects. We have identified several virulence factors such as extracellular protease and chitinase as well as genes that control conidiation. We are now poised to genetically manipulate these virulence factors in order to address the problems associated with the wider commercial implementation of these biocontrol fungi. These problems include speed of kill and shelf-life of biocontrol pesticides. Not only does this research contribute to the development of an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides, but it also contributes to a general understanding of pathogenicity and virulence factors that contribute to host specificity.