Éverton Kort Kamp Fernandes is and Associate Professor of Parasitology at the UFG, and a researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) of Brazil. His main research interest is the biological control of ticks with entomopathogenic fungi, with emphasis in fungal formulation, efficacy of bioproducts, tolerance of entomopathogenic fungi to environmental stresses, and defence mechanisms of ticks to fungal infection. He hods a degree in Veterinary Medicine, and a master's and PhD in Veterinary Science from Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro. Éverton is on the editorial board of BioControl since 2019 as Associate Editor.

Biological control of ticks with entomopathogenic fungi: past and future

Entomopathogenic fungi against ticks have been intensively investigated in the last decades, especially because tick resistance to chemical acaricides has increased very drastically. The effective use of entomopathogenic fungi for tick control, however, remains puzzling, and no product is currently registered in Brazil. The development of an appropriate formulation of fungi for tick control is necessary to enhance the natural tolerance of fungal propagules to abiotic stresses and keep them viable on the skin and fur of infested animals or on the vegetation. Strategies for improving the efficacy of fungi against ticks are the focus of many studies, and conidial formulation in mineral or vegetable oil or oil-in-water emulsion has provided encouraging results. Additionally, fungal propagules other than conidia, such as blastospores and microsclerotia, have demonstrated high efficacy against ticks; however, adequate formulations of these propagules are still desired, as well as the creation of effective strategies for bioproduct application, which may vary according to the target tick species. In fact, a well-designed integrated program, with use of multiple-effective control strategies, seems to be the best approach to minimize the tick burden in infested animals or environments.