| Summary: | Highlights • Interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and Beauvaria bassiana metabolites applied with silica nanoparticles (Si NPs) in biocontrol of herbivorous insects of cotton plants are first studied. • Oleyl alcohol, trifluoroacetate, 11-Dodecen-1-AL and 13-Octadecenal, (Z)-(CAS) were the major compounds in ethyl acetate extract detected by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. • Inoculation of cotton plants with AM fungi promotes growth traits of cotton plants and enhances their tolerance to Spodoptera littoralis insect. • S. littoralis caused a reduction in AM colonization rates; besides with Chlorpyrifos application, a higher decrease was reported. • The cotton leafworm causes stimulation of lipid peroxidation in cotton leaves, and with AM fungi and/or B. bassiana Si NPs this increase is reduced greatly. • AM fungi increased total soluble protein, carbohydrates, proline content and antioxidant enzymes in cotton plant leaves as a result of S. littoralis infestation.
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