Plant-Derived Oils Enhance the Effectiveness of Entomopathogenic Fungi in Controlling Melon Fruit Fly Maggots
Plant-Derived Oils Enhance the Effectiveness of Entomopathogenic Fungi in Controlling Melon Fruit Fly Maggots
Shahbaz Ahmad1*, Mubashar Iqbal1, Arshad Javaid2, Muhammad Bilal Chattha3, Muhammad Ashfaq4, Tajamal Hussain5 and Sumra Ashraf1
ABSTRACT
The present study was carried out to investigate the sensitivity of nine entomopathogenic fungal (EPF) strains to three plant-derived oils viz. coriander-oil (Coriandrum sativum), caster-oil (Ricinus communis) and taramira-oil (Eruca Sativa) and to assess the impact of these oils on the pathogenicity of EPF strains against melon fruit fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett) maggots. Under the laboratory conditions, EPF strains namely Metarhizium anisopliae (F 52), Metarhizium pinghaense (MBC 709), Isaria cateniammulata (MBC 289), Isaria javanica (MBC 524), Isaria farinose (MBC 389), Isaria fumosorosea (MBC 053), Lecanicillium attenuatum (MBC 807), Beauveria brongniartii (MBC 397) and Beauveria bassiana (MBC 076) were assessed. Five conidial/spore concentrations (1×105, 1×106, 1×107, 1×108, and 1×109 conidia mL-1) of each EPF were prepared in different concentrations of essential oils (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35%) in tween-20. The virulence and mortality of each strain was estimated after 3, 5, 7, 14 and 21 days. Result revealed that up to 87% of M. pinghaense, 90% of I. javanica, 84% of I. fumosorosea, 87% of L. attenuatum, 95% of M. anisopliae, 80% of I. cateniammulata, and 81% of B. brongniartii germination of EPF was observed at the lowest concentration (5%) of the oils. The germination of EPF conidia/spores with different oils, namely coriander, taramira, and castor, were 70%, 76%, and 82%, respectively. EPF strain MBC 389 demonstrated the least LC50 value (4.32 × 108 conidia mL-1) and the strains MBC 709, MBC 053, MBC 807, F 52, MBC 076, MBC 289 and MBC 397 exhibited 8.13 × 109, 3.46 × 109, 1.72×1010, 1.07×109, 5.40×108, 1.00×109 and 1.25×109 conidia mL-1 LC50, respectively. Maggots of B. cucurbitae showed the highest mortality of 50% after 21 days of application of the treatments and minimum mortality (18%) was recorded after 3 days of application. Likewise, 23% mortality was recorded after 5 days, 32% mortality after 7 days and 39%. Mortality was recorded after 14 days of application of the treatments. The order of pathogenicity of the tested EPF strains was MBC 389 > MBC 397 > MBC 076 > MBC289 > F52 > MBC709 > MBC524 > MBC053 > MBC807. B. cucurbitae maggots treated with different strains (MBC709, MBC524, MBC053, MBC807, F52, MBC389, MBC076, MBC289 and MBC397) at 1 × 109 conidia mL-1 showed 52%, 44%, 52%, 39%, 55%, 58%, 58%, 569% and 60% mortality, respectively. Entomopathogenic fungus (B. brongniartii MBC397) can be utilized as a cost-effective bio-insecticide in integrated pest management programs to control B. cucurbitae. This study provides valuable insights for managing this pest through sustainable biological control methods.
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