Working with multiple stakeholders on Beauveria bassiana: Testing a commercially available biocontrol for fall armyworm in Cambodia

The event was convened by Dr. Cristina Del Rincon Castro, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie research fellow from the University of Guanajuato in Mexico, who was in residence at the Insect Biology Research Institute (IRBI) at the University of Tours/CNRS in France. Dr. Elisabeth Herniou, a researcher at the IRBI, also participated in the conference. Rica Joy Flor, a scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Cambodia, presented a paper titled "Working with multiple stakeholders on Beauveria bassiana: Testing a commercially available biocontrol for fall armyworm in Cambodia." Flor's research focused on the adoption of Beauveria bassiana, a commercially available biocontrol product, by Cambodian farmers for managing fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) on maize. The study involved experiments conducted from 2019 to 2020 to compare Beauveria bassiana with commercially available pesticides against fall armyworm. The results showed that farmers made technological adaptations to integrate the use of Beauveria bassiana, and private sector stakeholders tested institutional innovations to enable adoption. However, the adoption of Beauveria bassiana was limited, with only 2% of farmers using it after four years. Despite this, farmers significantly reduced their insecticide application. The experiment on fall armyworm showed that the treatment with Beauveria bassiana consistently had higher damage compared to two pesticide treatments across two seasons. However, it had significantly lower damage compared to the control (do nothing) treatment. The Beauveria bassiana treatment had higher yield in one season and lower yield in the other compared to pesticide treatments. The results of this study highlight the need for further research to promote the adoption of Beauveria bassiana as a management option for fall armyworm in Cambodia. The conference provided a platform for researchers and stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the adoption of biocontrol products like Beauveria bassiana. The event aimed to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas on invertebrate pathology and microbial control, and to promote the development of sustainable agricultural practices.