Efficacy of Beauveria bassiana as a biopesticide: A meta-analysis

Resumen

Objective: To perform a meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana as a biological control agent against agricultural pests. Methodology: A bibliographic search was conducted using the Embase and PubMed databases, applying the terms Beauveria bassiana, entomopathogenic fungi, crop, plant, and mortality, connected by the operator “AND.” The search encompassed studies published from 2019 to 2024. The analysis focused primarily on reported mortality rates, crop species treated, conidial concentrations, and targeted pest species. Results: The most frequently applied conidial concentration was 1 × 10⁸ conidia/mL. Mortality rates ranging from 25% to 75% were the most commonly reported, particularly in trials targeting Hemipteran pests, where favorable outcomes were consistently observed. Limitations: There was notable variability across studies in terms of fungal concentration, crop type, application technique, and reproducibility of laboratory results, which may affect the generalizability of findings. Conclusions: The use of Beauveria bassiana is recommended for the control of Hemipteran pests, given the consistently high mortality rates reported. Additionally, its potential as a biocontrol agent for mites is proposed, although further evidence is required to support this application. Conidial concentrations of 1 × 10⁷ and 1 × 10⁸ conidia/mL are suggested, preferably utilizing locally adapted Beauveria bassiana strains.