Pathogenicity of Iranian isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschinkoff) (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) against Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)

The Pathogenicity of Iranian isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae was evaluated against adults and larvae of Trogoderma granarium using immersion bioassay method. For each isolate, five aqueous suspensions were prepared in a logarithmic series from 1×105 to 1×109 conidia/ml. Each concentration was replicated four times. For each replicate, 30 adults or larvae were immersed in 5 ml of the suspension for 5 s. The entire assay replicated twice. All isolates were pathogenic to adults and larvae and mortality was elevated with increasing conidial concentration. Significant differences were detected among fungal isolates at different conidial concentrations. The cumulative mortality 10 days after immersion in adults ranged between 3.33 and 20.83%, 15.83 and 70.83%, 5.93 and 80.5, 10.18 and 83.9% for different concentrations of IRAN 437C, IRAN 715C, IRAN 1018C and DEMI001, respectively. The cu- mulative mortality among larvae indicates greater efficacies for DEMI001 isolate (100% at 1×109 conidia/ml). For different concen- trations of IRAN 437C, IRAN 715C and IRAN 1018C cumulative larval mortality ranged between 5.83 and 30.83%, 17.64 and 82.35%, 19.16 and 90%, respectively. LT50 values varied from 5.43 to 18.78 and 4.78 to 14.68 days for adults and larvae, respectively and IRAN 437C isolate for both adults and larvae demonstrated the longest LT50. Probit analysis showed that there was no significant difference among IRAN 715C, IRAN 1018C and DEMI001 isolates and isolates of IRAN 437C with the LC50 of 1.2×1012 conidia/ml had lowest effect on adults. For larvae, DEMI001 isolate demonstrated the lowest LC50 (1×106 conidia/ml) and was significantly ef- fective than other M. anisopliae isolates. Our research shows suitable susceptibility of T. granarium adults and larvae to Iranian iso- lates of M. anisopliae other than IRAN 437C and further experiments are recommended to determine details about other isolates for biocontrol of this storage pest.

[1]  A. Kharrazi,et al.  Virulence of Some Isolates of Entomopathogenic Fungus, Beauveria bassiana on Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Larvae , 2010 .

[2]  Y. Ghosta,et al.  Study on the efficacy of Iranian isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin against Rhyzopertha dominica F. (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae). , 2009 .

[3]  A. Khashaveh,et al.  Pathogenicity of Three Iranian Isolates of the Fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) Against Granary Weevil, Sitophilus granarius L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) , 2008 .

[4]  H. D. Burges.  Development of the khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium, in the lower part of its temperature range , 2008 .

[5]  R. Zare,et al.  Biological control of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus by different strains of Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana and Lecanicillium psalliotae fungi , 2007, Parasitology Research.

[6]  A. Ullah,et al.  RESPONSE OF TROGODERMA GRANARIUM (EVERTS) TO DIFFERENT DOSES OF HALOXYLON RECURVUM EXTRACT AND DELTAMETHRIN , 2006 .

[7]  Y. Ibrahim,et al.  Effects of dust formulations of three entomophatogenic fungal isolates against Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in rice grain , 2006 .

[8]  Xingyong Yang,et al.  Cloning of Beauveria bassiana Chitinase Gene Bbchit1 and Its Application To Improve Fungal Strain Virulence , 2005, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[9]  K. Hell,et al.  A laboratory assessment of the potential of different strains of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) to control Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) in stored cowpea , 2005 .

[10]  Y. Batta.  Control of rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae L., Coleoptera: Curculionidae) with various formulations of Metarhizium anisopliae , 2004 .

[11]  A. Kassa,et al.  Susceptibility of Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) to Entomopathogenic Fungi from Ethiopia , 2002 .

[12]  M. Fabrizio,et al.  Grain loss caused by Tribolium castaneum, Sitophilus oryzae and Acanthoscelides obtectus in stored durum wheat and beans treated with Beauveria bassiana , 2002 .

[13]  N. Magan,et al.  Fungi as Biocontrol Agents: Progress, Problems and Potential , 2001 .

[14]  S. Ekesi,et al.  Laboratory evaluation of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae for the control of the groundnut bruchid, Caryedon serratus on groundnut. , 2001, Journal of stored products research.

[15]  N. Magan,et al.  Introduction - fungal biological control agents: progress, problems and potential. , 2001 .

[16]  D. Moore,et al.  Preliminary studies on the use of Beauveria bassiana to control Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the laboratory , 1996 .

[17]  C. H. Bell,et al.  Phosphine tolerance and resistance in Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) , 1995 .

[18]  D. Pratissoli,et al.  Pathogenicity of Beauveria brongniartii (Sacc.) Petch and Metarhizium anisopliae (Mots.) Sorok and their effect on the corn weevil and the bean beetle. , 1990 .

[19]  W. S. Abbott,et al.  A method of computing the effectiveness of an insecticide. 1925. , 1925, Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association.

[20]  H. J. Banks.  Distribution and establishment of Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae); climatic and other influences , 1977 .

[21]  R. Kitney,et al.  Biological Control , 1973, Nature.

[22]  U. Yinon,et al.  SPECTRAL DISCRIMINATIVE ABILITY OF LARVAE OF TROGODERMA GRANARIUM EVERTS , 1966 .