Efficacy of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. Isolates on Dried Fruit Moth (Plodia interpunctella [Lepidoptera: pyralidae])

Abstract

The dried fruit moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is one of the most important pests of both dried fruits and stored grains and products. One of the alternative control methods to chemicals in the control against this pest is the use of biological control methods. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) stand out because they do not have any negative effects on the environment, living organism and human health, other than the target pests. In this study, ET 10 and Bb 18 isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. were applied to the 4th instar larvae of P. interpunctella under laboratory conditions and their effectiveness was determined. EPF isolates were sprayed to the larvae in plastic petri dishes at a concentration of 1x108 conidia/ml. The experiments were carried out in a randomized plots experimental design with five replicates, with five 4th instar larvae in each petri dish. After the applications, the number of live larvae was recorded by counting the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days and the % mortality rate was calculated. On the fifth day of the experiment, mortality rates of 92% were recorded for the ET 10 isolate of B. bassiana and 84% for the Bb 18 isolate. In the seventh day counts, 100% mortality rates were determined for both isolates of B. bassiana. As a result, it is concluded that B. bassiana may have a potential effect in the biological control of stored product pests.