Laboratory evaluation of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) for controlling Amitermes vilis (Hagen) and Microcerotermes gabrielis (Weidner) (Isoptera: Termitidae)

Alireza Rahimzadeh, Marzieh Rashid, Aziz Garjan, Bahram Naseri
J. Crop Prot   unpublished
Subterranean termites are one of the most important pests of buildings, historic monuments and agricultural crops in some parts of Iran. Using entomopathogenic fungi as microbial insecticides is usually a part of biological control and insect pest management. The pathogenicity of entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (DEMI 001) isolated from Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliver) was compared against two subterranean termites, Amitermes vilis (Hagen) and
more » ... mes gabrielis (Weidner) under laboratory conditions. Suspensions of the fungus spores at five concentrations of 10 1 , 10 2 , 10 3 , 10 4 , 10 6 spores ml-1 were prepared to define LC 50 and LT 50. To determine LC 50 and LT 50 of M. anisopliae, bioassays were carried out on worker casts of both termite species. LC 50 values for A. vilis and M. gabrielis were 8.5 × 10 3 and 0.2 × 10 2 spores ml-1 , respectively. LT 50 value for M. gabrielis was shorter than that of A. vilis at all five concentrations tested. According to the results of the bioassay, M. anisopliae was more effective for controlling M. gabrielis than that for A. vilis.
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