| Autor: |
Altaf N; Department of Entomology, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan., Ullah MI; Department of Entomology, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan., Afzal M; Department of Entomology, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan.; Baba Guru Nanak University, Nankana Sahib 39100, Pakistan., Arshad M; Department of Entomology, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan., Ali S; Department of Entomology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan., Rizwan M; Beekeeping and Hill Fruit Pests Research Station, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan., Al-Shuraym LA; Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia., Alhelaify SS; Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia., Sayed S; Department of Economic Entomology and Pesticides, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.; Department of Science and Technology, University College-Ranyah, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia. |
| Abstrakt: |
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Noctuidae; Lepidoptera), is a serious threat to food security as it has the potential to feed on over 353 plant species. To control this insect pest, endophytic colonization of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) in plants is being considered as a safer and more effective alternative. This study evaluated the efficacy of two EPFs, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae , for endophytic colonization using foliar spray and seed treatment methods on maize plants, and their impact on the survival, development, and fecundity of S. frugiperda . Both EPF effectively colonized the maize plants with foliar spray and seed treatment methods, resulting in 72-80% and 50-60% colonization rates, respectively, 14 days after inoculation. The EPF negatively impacted the development and fecundity of S. frugiperda . Larvae feeding on EPF-inoculated leaves had slower development (21.21 d for M. anisopliae and 20.64 d for B. bassiana ) than the control treatment (20.27 d). The fecundity rate was also significantly reduced to 260.0-290.1 eggs/female with both EPF applications compared with the control treatment (435.6 eggs/female). Age-stage-specific parameters showed lower fecundity, life expectancy, and survival of S. frugiperda when they fed on both EPF-inoculated leaves compared with untreated leaves. Furthermore, both EPFs had a significant effect on population parameters such as intrinsic ( r = 0.127 d -1 for B. bassiana , and r = 0.125 d -1 for M. anisopliae ) and finite rate ( λ = 1.135 d -1 for B. bassiana , and λ = 1.1333 d -1 for M. anisopliae ) of S. frugiperda compared with the control ( r = 0.133 d -1 and λ = 1.146 d -1 ). These findings suggest that EPF can be effectively used for the endophytic colonization of maize plants to control S. frugiperda . Therefore, these EPFs should be integrated into pest management programs for this pest. |
