Exposure of Beauveria bassiana from different sites to changes in behaviour and mortality of oil palm beetle larvae: Oryctes rhinoceros

Abstract

The potential of Beauveria bassiana as a biological control agent for Oryctes rhinoceros is still rarely reported. The objective of the research was to analyse the behaviour and mortality of O. rhinoceros larva due to exposure to several of B. bassiana. The research method used the Completely Randomized Design and analysis with 5% Tukey’s test. The results showed that B. bassiana form different sites had the potential to be developed as an effective biological control product in controlling O. rhinoceros as a part of novelty to explore the biodiversity of native biological control in Indonesia. Larvae of O. rhinoceros that were exposed to and infected with B. bassiana experienced changes in movement activity and decreased appetite as well as differences in cuticle colour, the initially limp body will turn stiff while the cuticle colour will change and the next symptom will be white mycelium growth which was proven by the SEM. The B. bassiana from Jember 1 had the highest mortality rate of 37.5% at 30 days after application even though it had the lowest spore density. These results indicate something new and require further study regarding the toxin content of each B. bassiana from different sites.