The Right Fungus in the Right System. From local fungal diversity to closed-loop biological control in integrated pest management

My PhD research explores how naturally occurring insect-killing fungi can contribute to more sustainable pest management in agriculture. Instead of assuming that one fungus will work equally well everywhere, I investigated how its effectiveness depends on the fungal strain, the insect pest, the crop, and the surrounding environment. The research connects two contrasting agricultural systems: date palms and red palm weevil in Syria, and greenhouse-grown sweet pepper and aphids in the Netherlands. I studied fungi naturally associated with plants, soils, and insects and tested their potential to control important pests. The results show that locally occurring fungi can be valuable biological control agents, but their success depends strongly on how well they fit the system in which they are used. This research supports a more ecological approach to crop protection, in which local biological diversity is used to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides and strengthen integrated pest management.