Pochonia chlamydosporia: A Promising Biotechnological Tool Against Parasitic Nematodes and Geohelminths

Abstract

A number of parasitic diseases seriously affect animal/crop production worldwide. Traditionally, the use of chemical anthelmintic drugs or pesticides is considered the commonest method of controlling such parasites. However, this has triggered an imminent risk to public health due to the continuous exposure of people to those chemical products. In addition, parasites, after being in continuous contact with the pesticide or anthelmintic chemical molecules for long periods, eventually develop resistance, surviving dosages that used to kill them. During the last decades, the use of environmentally friendly alternatives has been extensively investigated in the search for healthier animal or plant products for human consumption. Likewise, the use of beneficial microorganisms as natural control agents is gaining a very good reputation over chemical anthelmintic drugs for cattle and sheep or for pests and plant pathogens affecting important crops worldwide. Nematophagous fungi are natural nematode antagonists that offer very good hopes for the control of animal and plant-parasitic nematodes. In particular, the fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia has shown an enormous potential to control a number of genera/species of plant-parasitic nematodes of economic importance. The present chapter provides a general view of the potential use of this promising biotechnological tool against plant-and animal-parasitic nematodes.