Isolation, Propagation And Application Of Some Entomopathogenic FuNgi In Controlling The Sugar Beet Insect Pests In Egypt

• El-Husseini, M.M.(1) ; Mesbah, A.2 ; El-Zoghby, Amal3 ; Omar,Naglaa 3 ; Ali, Sahar 3, Shawky M.1 and Nada, M.
• ¹ Biological Control Research Laboratories, Faculty of Agriculture,Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
• ² Agriculture Research Center, Sacha Experiment Station, Kafr El-Sheich, Egypt.
• ³ Agriculture Research Center, Plant Protection Research Institute, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
• The first Arab Conference of Applied Biological Pest Control, Cairo, Egypt, 5-7 April 2004

Abstract

Out of 1491 soil samples from different governorates, i.e., Giza (418 samples), Dakahlyia (683 samples) and Kafr El-Sheikh (390 samples) only 16 samples (1.07%) contained entomopathogenic fungi, i.e., 9 isolates from Beauveria bassiana, 10 isolates from Metarhizium anisopliae, and 5 sampleas from Paecilomyces lilacinus. The fungi were propagated on PDA medium fortified with nutritional sources of plant origin ,e.g., crushed grains / seeds or molasses. The addition of 100g crushed rice, wheat grains and corn/1L PDA gave the highest conidiospore production by Beauveria, Metarhizium and Paecilomyces respectively. Bioassay for determination of LC50 values took place versus larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonela. Conidia were prepared in EC formulation for field application at the concentration of 1x106 spores/ml. Results showed successful control against larval population of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis, the beet worm, S. exigua, the semi-loopers, Autographa gamma, A. circumflexa and A. ni. Although the laboratory treatment resulted high mortality rates, but it was not successful in the field when sprayed against immature stages and adults of the green stink bug, Nezara viridula, the tortoise beetle, Cassida vittata, jassids and white fly inhabiting the lower leaf surfaces where they escape the sprayed material. Also, boring larvae of the beet moth, Scrobipalpa ocellatella, and the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis as well as larvae of the beet leafminer fly Pygomia mixta were not significantly affected by the sprayed conidiospores for the same reason. Meanwhile, soil treatment with formulated granules applied as baits, successfully controlled nymphs and adults of the gryllotalpid mole cricket, Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa.