"Ectomosphere": Insects and Microorganism Interactions

This study focuses on interacting with insects and their ectosymbiont (lato sensu) microorganismsfor environmentally safe plant production and protection. Some cases help compareinsect-bearing, -driving, or -spreading relevant ectosymbiont microorganisms to endosymbionts'behaviour. Ectosymbiotic bacteria can interact with insects by allowing them to improve the valueof their pabula. In addition, some bacteria are essential for creating ecological niches that can hostthe development of pests. Insect-borne plant pathogens include bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Thesepathogens interact with their vectors to enhance reciprocal fitness. Knowing vector-phoront interactioncould considerably increase chances for outbreak management, notably when sustained byquarantine vector ectosymbiont pathogens, such as the actual Xylella fastidiosa Mediterranean invasionepisode. Insect pathogenic viruses have a close evolutionary relationship with their hosts, also beinghighly specific and obligate parasites. Sixteen virus families have been reported to infect insectsand may be involved in the biological control of specific pests, including some economic weevils.Insects and fungi are among the most widespread organisms in nature and interact with each other,establishing symbiotic relationships ranging from mutualism to antagonism. The associations caninfluence the extent to which interacting organisms can exert their effects on plants and the propermanagement practices. Sustainable pest management also relies on entomopathogenic fungi; researchon these species starts from their isolation from insect carcasses, followed by identification usingconventional light or electron microscopy techniques. Thanks to the development of omics sciences,it is possible to identify entomopathogenic fungi with evolutionary histories that are less-sharedwith the target insect and can be proposed as pest antagonists. Many interesting omics can helpdetect the presence of entomopathogens in different natural matrices, such as soil or plants. The sametechniques will help localize ectosymbionts, localization of recesses, or specialized morphologicaladaptation, greatly supporting the robust interpretation of the symbiont role. The manipulationand modulation of ectosymbionts could be a more promising way to counteract pests and bornepathogens, mitigating the impact of formulates and reducing food insecurity due to the lesser impact of direct damage and diseases. The promise has a preventive intent for more manageable and broaderimplications for pests, comparing what we can obtain using simpler, less-specific techniques and aless comprehensive approach to Integrated Pest Management (IPM).