Susceptibility of developmental stages of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) to infection by Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae). (15th August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bugeme, David M.; Knapp, Markus; Boga, Hamadi I.; Ekesi, Sunday; Maniania, Nguya K.
• Is Part Of: International journal of tropical insect science. Volume 34:Number 3(2014:Sep.)
• Page Start: 190
• Page End: 196
• Publication Date: 2014-08-15
• Subjects: Insect pests -- Tropics -- Periodicals; Beneficial insects -- Tropics -- Periodicals; Entomology -- Tropics -- Periodicals; 595.70913
• DOI: 10.1017/S1742758414000381
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1742-7584

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>In the present study, the susceptibility of different developmental stages (eggs, larvae, protonymphs, deutonymphs and adults) of <italic>Tetranychus urticae</italic> Koch to the entomopathogenic fungi <italic>Beauveria bassiana</italic> (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin and <italic>Metarhizium anisopliae</italic> (Metchnikoff) Sorokin was evaluated in the laboratory. At each developmental stage, four concentrations (3 × 10⁵, 1 × 10⁶, 3 × 10⁶ and 1 × 10⁷ conidia/ml) of both fungi were sprayed. Egg viability and motile-stage mortality varied among the fungal isolates and conidial concentrations. The highest conidial concentration (1 × 10⁷ conidia/ml) significantly reduced the viability of eggs and increased the mortality of motile stages. However, deutonymphs and adults were more susceptible to fungal infection than larvae and protonymphs. The lethal concentration values to 50% (LC₅₀) and 90% mortality (LC₉₀) varied with the fungal isolates and developmental stages. The results show the prospects of <italic>B. bassiana</italic> and <italic>M. anisopliae</italic> for the control of <italic>T. urticae</italic>.</p> </abstract>