Vol. 36 (2026): Volumen 36
Artículos de investigación

Perspectives for the use of entomopathogenic fungi for pest control in chili crops

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  • Magali Jiménez Jiménez,
  • Alejandra Soto Estrada,
  • Héctor Cabrera Mireles,
  • Felipe Gallardo López
Magali Jiménez Jiménez Colegio de Postgraduados
Alejandra Soto Estrada Colegio de Postgraduados Campus Veracruz
Héctor Cabrera Mireles Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias
Felipe Gallardo López Colegio de Postgraduados

Published 2026-04-29

Copyright (c) 2026 Magali Jiménez Jiménez, Alejandra Soto Estrada, Héctor Cabrera Mireles, Felipe Gallardo López

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Jiménez Jiménez, M., Soto Estrada, A., Cabrera Mireles, H., & Gallardo López, F. (2026). Perspectives for the use of entomopathogenic fungi for pest control in chili crops. Acta Universitaria, 36, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.15174/au.2026.4814

Abstract

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are used to control pests as an alternative to chemical pesticides. The aim was to determine producers' knowledge and attitude toward the potential use of EFF against pests in the chili crop in the Sotavento region of Veracruz. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied to 22 chili producers, selected using the “snowball” technique, and their attitude toward the use of EPF in social, economic, and environmental aspects was measured using a Likert scale. Twenty-seven percent of interviewees know about EPF, and 18% use Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae against chili pests. Producers expressed a positive attitude toward social and environmental aspects. The heterogeneity in knowledge, use, and attitude within a given territory are essential elements to consider when promoting the use of EPF and reducing dependence on chemical pesticides.

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