Panorama of Metarhizium: Host Interaction and Its Uses in Biocontrol and Plant Growth Promotion

Vectors have been wreaking a fatal havoc on mankind by causing diseases in agriculturally important plants and humans. Not only diseases caused by them are a hefty task to deal with, but their increasingly successful survival in human settlements is also a rising concern. The entomopathogenic fungi are considered amongst the first organisms for bio management of agriculturally important pests as they are eco-friendly, economically sustainable, and effective. With this, the collateral need for biocontrol in human disease vectors is also being felt. The first observation of fungi infecting insects was in as early as 900 AD, to the first data published in 1726 about entomopathogenic fungi. Metarhizium is a widespread fungus found all over the globe. More than 200 species of insects are infected by the fungus thereby making it one of the most sought biocontrol agents. This chapter gives an understanding of interaction between an arthropod host and entomopathogenic fungi genera Metarhizium, description of the host and fungal structure, what are some of the conventional and recent efforts done in order to improve the application strategies and what could be some of the possible uses of Metarhizium in enhancing plant health. Some of the plant pests and animal vectors which have been explored as host for Metarhizium are also mentioned.