Final answer:
The class of pesticides designed to eliminate fungi is called fungicides. They are crucial for protecting crops against fungal diseases and are part of integrated pest management programs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The class of pesticides that kills fungi is known as fungicides. Pesticides can be classified based on the type of organism they target, with other types including herbicides for weeds, insecticides for insects, and rodenticides for rodents. Fungicides are used as part of plant protection strategies to prevent or eradicate fungal infections that can damage crops. For instance, they are effective against plant pathogens such as Alternaria solani, a fungus used in agriculture to combat certain pests.
Furthermore, the move towards biological pest control methods includes the use of biopesticides, which are derived from natural sources like plants, bacteria, and other microorganisms. Microbial pesticides, which can include bacteria and entomopathogenic fungi, are a critical element of integrated pest management (IPM) programs and are gaining importance as alternatives to synthetic chemical plant protection products (PPPs).