Penulis: Dian Meithasari (NPM 2434171012) dan Darwin H. Pangaribuan (NIDN 0013016302), Mahasiswa Pascasarjana dan Dosen Jurusan Agronomi Hortikultura, Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Lampung
"Innovations in environmentally friendly pest management, such as the use of bioinsecticides, are becoming increasingly important to support sustainable agriculture"
Introduction
Sustainable agriculture is an approach that emphasizes balancing the needs of humanity for food production with the preservation of natural resources for future generations. One of the main challenges in modern agriculture is the efficient control of pests without negatively impacting the environment, human health, and biodiversity. Excessive use of chemical pesticides has led to various problems, such as pest resistance, environmental pollution, and harm to non-target organisms. Therefore, innovations in environmentally friendly pest management, such as the use of bioinsecticides, are becoming increasingly important to support sustainable agriculture.
Bioinsecticides are pest control agents derived from living organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, or their secondary metabolites, which can infect or kill targeted pests. One of the pests that has gained attention in agriculture is Spodoptera frugiperda, commonly known as the Fall Armyworm (FAW). This pest is a major threat to corn crops, but innovative approaches through the use of symbiotic microorganisms that live with FAW, such as gut bacteria and entomopathogenic pathogens, have opened new possibilities in biological pest control.
Bacteria such as Enterococcus, Enterobacter, and Bacillus, as well as entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, which are symbiotic with FAW, hold potential as bioinsecticides. These microorganisms can not only directly infect or kill the pest but also influence the pest's physiology, including its resistance to the environment and control efforts. Additionally, viruses such as nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) can play a key role in biological control strategies, given their ability to cause fatal infections in pest larvae.
The use of bioinsecticides from FAW's symbiotic microorganisms offers an environmentally friendly pest control approach, with minimal impact on non-target organisms and the environment. This aligns with the principles of sustainable agriculture, where pest control efforts are made with consideration for ecosystem balance, reducing the use of synthetic chemicals, and maintaining soil health and biodiversity. Thus, utilizing bioinsecticides based on FAW symbiotics not only provides a solution for more effective pest control but also contributes to a more sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural system.
Sustainable Agriculture and Environmentally Friendly Pest Control
 Sustainable agriculture is a farming system designed to meet current human needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Altieri, 1995). In sustainable agriculture, pest control is a critical aspect that requires more environmentally friendly approaches. One increasingly recognized solution is the use of bioinsecticides, which utilize biological agents such as microorganisms that naturally infect and control pest populations (Medeiros et al., 2021).
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) as a Major Agricultural Pest
 Spodoptera frugiperda, commonly known as the Fall Armyworm (FAW), is a species of moth whose larvae are major pests of crops, especially corn (Goergen et al., 2016). In recent decades, FAW has become a primary threat to corn production in tropical and subtropical countries, including Indonesia. The pest is notorious for its aggressive damage to crops and its high adaptability to different environmental conditions, as well as its resistance to chemical pesticides (Sisay et al., 2019).
Symbiotic microorganisms living in FAW play important roles in various aspects of their host's life. Research has shown that FAW's gut microbiota, including bacteria such as Enterococcus, Enterobacter, and Bacillus, can influence digestion, metabolism, and pest resistance to pesticides (Ramya et al., 2016; Cheng et al., 2017). In addition, entomopathogens such as Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, fungi that infect insects, have great potential as bioinsecticides due to their ability to naturally kill FAW (Ortiz-Urquiza & Keyhani, 2013).
