Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are the most prospected and used microorganisms for agricultural pest control worldwide. In this context, the semi-arid region of Brazil is a promising location for the collection of new EPF, due to its extreme temperature, radiation and precipitation characteristics, which can favor the adaptation of native microorganisms to these stress factors. However, there is no previous report of prospecting EPF isolates in the semi-arid region of the state of Sergipe/Brazil. Therefore, this study aimed to prospect EPF from the semi-arid region of the state of Sergipe/Brazil, evaluate their potential application in the biological control of agricultural insect pests, and their tolerance to diverse types of stress. Fourteen fungal isolates were obtained, but only six isolates showed high pathogenicity, according to Koch’s Postulates. The isolates were identified as Beauveria bassiana (five isolates) and Metarhizium pinghaense (one isolate), by molecular analysis. The fungi showed intraspecific and interspecific variations in the production of aerial conidia in rice, enzymatic production, and in their tolerance to the diverse types of stress tested. Thus, the semi-arid region of the state of Sergipe/Brazil is promising for obtaining new isolates of EPF with high potential for use in agricultural pest control. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11274-026-04946-6.