Metarhizium (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) has a multifunctional life cycle, establishing as a plant endophyte and acting as entomopathogenic fungi. Metarhizium robertsii and Metarhizium brunneum can be associated with coffee plants and provide enhanced protection against a major pest of coffee, the coffee leaf miner (CLM) (Leucoptera coffeella). This association would be an easily deployable biological control option. Here we tested the potential of inoculating coffee seeds with M. robertsii and M. brunneum collected from the soil of coffee crops in the Cerrado (Brazil) for control of the CLM and the enhancement of plant growth with a commonly used fungicide. We conducted the experiment in a greenhouse and after the seedlings grew, we placed them in a cage with two couples of CLMs. We evaluated the CLM development time, reproduction, and plant growth traits. We observed a longer development time of CLMs when fed on plants inoculated with both isolates. In addition, the CLMs laid fewer eggs compared to those fed on plants without fungal inoculation. Plant growth was promoted when seeds were inoculated with fungi, and the fungicide did not affect any evaluated parameter. Coffee seed inoculation with M. robertsii and M. brunneum appears to provide protection against CLMs and promote growth improvement.

Agriculture is an activity that presents the greatest production risks compared to other activities. This sector depends not only on the rational and efficient use of inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides, but also on market behavior, the proper use of technologies, and climatic and biotic conditions, such as pest and disease attacks. In the field of rural insurance, prevention and mitigation efforts aim to reduce the probability of adverse events and/or reduce the impact of events. Risk transfer is the process of redistributing the negative economic effects of an event between a group of actors. This process is the reason for the existence of agricultural insurance. In this context, government rural credit plays a fundamental role in the development and sustainability of the agricultural sector and is directly linked to the PROAGRO rural insurance program. This research aims to evaluate the use of the government rural insurance program called PROAGRO and its benefits and potentialities as a plant health protection tool, since it can cover possible occurrences associated with pest and disease attacks in Brazil. The focus will be on corn production in the period from 2015 to 2022. This research applied an exploratory data analysis approach. Bibliographic review and access to databases in printed and electronic media were used. The analysis of the data collected revealed a growing importance of events related to pest and disease attacks from 2015, showing that there is an important potential for using PROAGRO as a plant health protection tool in Brazilian agriculture.

The combined use of plant-derived bioinputs and entomopathogenic fungi has emerged as a promising strategy for sustainable pest management in coffee agroecosystems. Essential oils (EOs) for instance, often exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, raising concerns regarding their compatibility with beneficial fungi. This study evaluated the dose-dependent effects of Varronia curassavica essential oil on the mycelial growth of Beauveria bassiana, a key biological control agent against the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei. A concentration gradient of the EO was tested under laboratory conditions to assess antifungal activity, identify potential hormetic responses, and determine compatibility thresholds for integrated use. High EO concentrations (0.8% and 1%) significantly inhibited fungal growth, confirming its antifungal potential. In contrast, low concentrations (0.2% and 0.4%) stimulated mycelial growth, indicating a clear hormetic response. Benchmark dose (BMD) modeling was applied to characterize the non-linear dose–response relationship and to estimate critical effect thresholds. These results demonstrate that the interaction between V. curassavica EO and B. bassiana is strongly concentration-dependent and that sublethal doses may enhance fungal performance rather than suppress it. Our findings highlight the importance of dose optimization when integrating plant essential oils and entomopathogenic fungi and provide a scientific basis for their compatible use in sustainable and regenerative coffee pest management systems.