Evaluation of entomopathogenic fungi for the control of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and the effect of Metarhizium brunneum on the predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Publication date: Available online 9 May 2017 Source:Biological Control Author(s): YagmurOyku Dogan, Selcuk Hazir, Ayhan Yildiz, Tariq M. Butt, Ibrahim Cakmak The efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), Metarhizium brunneum (strains ARSEF 4556 and V275), Metarhizium flavoviride UPH-0288, Lecanicillium lecanii UPH-0241, and Beauveria bassiana UPH-1103 against the different developmental stages of the two spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae, was investigated at 1 x 107 conidia/ml concentration in detached leaf Petri dish and whole plant pot assays. One of the most virulent strains, M. brunneum V275 (= Novozymes Met52/F52), was screened using a range of doses against adult female predatory mites, Phytoseiulus persimilis and Neoseiulus californicus. All the EPF tested killed 11.8-14.3% and 12.8-17% of the TSSM eggs in Petri dish and pot assays, respectively. They also caused 57.3-90.3% and 29.5-67.5%, mortality of the mobile stages in the Petri dish and pots trials, respectively. TSSM adults were generally more susceptible to the EPF than the juveniles. Adult mortality was >80% for all strains except M. flavoviride which caused 67% mortality. Predatory female mites were also susceptible to M. brunneum V275 with mortality being dependent on the dose and predator species; thus mortality at 1x106, 1x107 and 1x108 conidia/ml was 57.5, 80.5, and 99.5% for P. persimilis and 51.5, 75.0, and 90.5% for N. californicus, respectively. However, subsequent biol...

Source: Biological Control - May 10, 2017 Category: Biology Source Type: research