A new generation of environmentally friendly pesticides is a step closer as researchers make an important breakthrough in pest control efficiency thanks to an insect-killing fungus.

Molecular virologists Dr Robert Coutts from the University of Hertfordshire and Dr Ioly Kotta-Loizou from Imperial College London are investigating the potential of a bug-killing fungus.

The fungus, Beauveria bassiana (B. bassiana) is an insect-pathogenic fungus found naturally in soil and on some plants.

The fungus can kill a wide range of bugs by infecting them with its spores, including notorious crop-killing pests such as whiteflies, aphids, grasshoppers and termites.

Insect-pathogenic fungi are already used in many commercially available bio-insecticides which are known as mycoinsecticides.

But the pair are specifically researching the viral community of B. Bassiana, and have discovered certain mycoviruses case hypervirulence and increase mycoinsecticidal efficiency.

Dr Robert Coutts, research fellow in biological and environmental sciences at the University of Hertfordshire, said: "This discovery is potentially transformational for the sector and could elevate the profile of B. bassiana as one of the most environmentally friendly pest control agents for farmers today.

"This would safeguard ecosystems internationally, especially where the use of chemical insecticides is particularly prevalent.

"It is an extremely important breakthrough.

"By using viruses as enhancers we will create a new generation of improved mycoinsecticides, increasing the quality of global food production and reducing the environmental impact."

Dr Kotta-Loizou explains: ‘The importance of the virus being the smallest ever discovered means that it contains only the absolutely necessary features for multiplication and ‘survival’ inside the cells. If we characterise these features, which are probably common to other similar viruses as well, we can then design drugs that target them.

‘These investigations have implications for potentially eliminating viruses including human ones such as polio and the common cold.’