| Abstrakt: |
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the artificial establishment of Beauveria bassianaand Metarhizium anisopliaeas endophytes in maize plants, and its effect in controlling the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda(J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae. The commercial strains B. bassianaBb-18 and M. anisopliaeMa-30 were concentrated at 1 × 108conidia ml−1, and the soil drench method was used to establish them as endophytes in maize plant parts. The biological control assays were conducted under laboratory conditions on second and fourth larval instars of S. frugiperda. B. bassianacolonized roots, stems, and leaves of maize tissues. However, a high occurrence of B. bassianawas obtained in roots than leaves and stems with 25, 10, and 5 isolations, respectively, whereas M. anisopliaewas only acquired on roots. Both entomopathogenic fungi caused (100%) mortality on the second instar larvae. In addition, B. bassianaand M. anisopliaekilled (87 and 75%) of the fourth larval instars, respectively. The fungus M. anisopliaecaused the highest sporulation rates during the study. These results suggest that the entomopathogenic fungi might contribute to a sustainable S. frugiperdamanagement in maize production in Cuba. |
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