Comparison of pathogenicities of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae to chestnut pests

• Published in: Applied Entomology and Zoology Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 127 - 132
• Main Authors: Ihara, F.(National Inst. of Fruit Tree Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan)), Toyama, M, Higaki, M, Mishiro, K, Yaginuma, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY 01.01.2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: BEAUVERIA BASSIANA; CASTANEA; CHAMPIGNON ENTOMOPATHOGENE; Chestnut weevil; Coleoptera; CURCULIO; Curculionidae; CYDIA; ENTOMOGENOUS FUNGI; entomopathogenic fungi; HONGOS ENTOMOPATOGENOS; Lepidoptera; METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE; microbial control; nut fruit moth; PATHOGENICITY; PATOGENICIDAD; POUVOIR PATHOGENE; Tortricidae
• ISSN: 0003-6862; 1347-605X
• DOI: 10.1303/aez.2009.127

Beauveria bassiana strain HF338 had the highest pathogenicity among 77 isolates to larvae of the chestnut weevil, Curculio sikkimensis (Heller) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Its pathogenicity at 25°C was similar to that of Metarhizium anisopliae strain HF293. Its pathogenicity at 15°C remained high, whereas that of M. anisopliae HF293 was greatly reduced. Its pathogenicity to chestnut weevil adults and nut fruit moth, Cydia kurokoi (Amsel) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), was also higher than those of M. anisopliae HF293. In field tests, the survival rate of chestnut weevil larvae decreased to 2.9% when B. bassiana HF338 was applied at 1×1011 conidia/pot. The high pathogenicity of B. bassiana HF338 makes the strain a potential microbial agent for the control of chestnut pests.