Virulence of <I>Metarhizium anisopliae</I> (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) on <I>Anastrepha ludens</I> (Diptera: Tephritidae): Laboratory and Field Trials

Abstract

Twenty isolates of the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch). Sorkin (Ma) were evaluated to determine their virulence against last instar and adult emergence of Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew). Larvae were exposed by immersion in a conidial suspension at a concentration of 10(8) UFC/ml under laboratory conditions. Larvae and pupae cumulative mortality rates ranged from 37.9 to 98.75%. Thirteen isolates caused mortality rates > 83.7%, and their LT50 values ranged from 1.8 to 6.2 d. The Ma2, Ma8, and Ma16 isolates were evaluated at seven different concentrations ranging from 10(1) to 10(7) UFC/ml, showing LC50 values from 3.7 to 4.8 x 10(5) UFC/ml. In a field-cage experiment, 200 ml of a conidial suspension of Ma2, at a concentration of 2.5 x 10(6) UFC/ml, was applied on 2,500 cm2 soil surface (2 x 10(5) UFC/cm2). The fungus reduced adult emergence, 22% fewer adults emerging in a sandy loam soil, and 43% fewer in loam soil, compared with the controls. M. anisopliae may offer a preferable alternative to chemicals as a biological control agent against A. ludens.

Pathogenicity of Metarhizium anisopliae for Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in soil with different pesticides

“…Laboratory studies showed that M. anisopliae is pathogenic for C. capitata eggs (Castilho 2000), larvae (Gutiérrez et al 2000), and adults (Garcia et al 1984(Garcia et al , 1985. Table 4.…”

Microbial control of arthropod pests of tropical tree fruits

“…anisopliae activity against A. ludens were reported by Lezama-Gutiérrez et al (2000). When M. anisopliae 2 x 10 5 conidia/cm 2 , adult emergence was reduced by up to 43% in loam soil.…”

Patogenicidad de tres cepas de hongos entomopatógenos a adultos de Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae) en condiciones de laboratorio.

“…Para adultos de C. capitata tratados con conidios de M. anisopliae, se registró entre el 78.5 y el 100% de mortalidad (Espín- García et al 1989). Con cepas de esta misma especie de hongo, para hembras de A. ludens se observó de 86.5 a 97.3% de infección (Campos 2000) y con cepas de M. anisopliae, la infección fue de entre el 37.9 y el 98.7% en ambos sexos (Lezama-Gutiérrez et al 2000). Sin embargo, la patogenicidad r para varias cepas de B. bassiana contra adultos de A. ludens y C. capitata, provoco un mayor rango de mortalidad (20 y el 98.7%) (De la Rosa et al 2002, Muñoz et al 2009).…”

“…Estos mismos autores reportan que las cepas de M. anisopliae tienen baja actividad y las cepas de B. bassiana no son activas contra pupas. Sin embargo hay contraste, ya que algunas cepas de hongos son patogénicas a esta fase del insecto (Lezama-Gutiérrez et al 2000, Quesada-Moraga et al 2006. Para las dos especies de hongos se ha aislado un mayor número de cepas activas contra adultos de varias especies de moscas de la fruta (Campos 2000, LezamaGutiérrez et al 2000, De la Rosa et al 2002, Dimbi et al 2003, Sookar et al 2008.…”