Laboratory Evaluation of Entomopathogenic Fungi for the Control of Khapra Beetle (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) and Their Effects on the Beetles' Fecundity and Longevity
2019
Mohammed, Akram A. | Kadhim, Jamal H. | Hasan, Ahmad M. H.
The khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), is an important pest of stored wheat worldwide. The current study assessed the efficacy of five Iraqi isolates of entomopathogenic fungi, including Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Cordycipitaceae) isolate Bb25, Lecanicillium attenuatum (Petch) Zare & Gams (Cordycipitaceae) isolate La90, Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin (Clavicipitaceae) isolate Ma42, Isaria fumosorosea (Wize) (Clavicipitaceae) isolate P10 and Chaetomium globosum (Kunze) (Chaetomiaceae) isolate CHG20, compared to a commercially produced B. bassiana strain GHA (Mycotrol® ESO). We also assessed the effects of fungal infection on the fecundity and longevity of adult female beetles under laboratory conditions of 30 ± 2°C and 65 ± 5% RH. Beauveria bassiana isolate Bb25 and M. anisopliae isolate Ma42 had the highest virulence compared to L. attenuatum isolate La90, C. globosum isolate CHG20, I. fumosorosea isolate P10 and Mycotrol® ESO. Abbott-corrected mortality of T. granarium after exposure to either B. bassiana or M. anisopliae, at 10⁶ conidia ml–¹, varied according to the beetle's developmental stage. First, second and third instars were more susceptible compared with fourth, fifth instars and adults at 10 d post-treatment. Beauveria bassiana isolate Bb25 and M. anisopliae isolate Ma42 caused about 50% reduction in total fecundity and about 20% reduction in longevity of the female adults. The results demonstrate that the two Iraqi isolates of B. bassiana and M. anisopliae have potential as a biological control agents of T. granarium; however, further studies under commercial storage conditions are required.
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