Sublethal Effects of Beauveria bassiana Strain BEdy1 on the Development and Reproduction of the White-Backed Planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa) is the most important food crop all over the world, while white-backed planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) is an important pest causing rice yield reduction. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the sublethal effects of strain BEdy1 Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) on S. furcifera using the two-sex life table analytical method, compare the life tables of the F0 and F1 generations of WBPHs which were treated with sublethal concentrations (LC10, LC25) of B. bassiana BEdy1 with a control group. The results showed that the duration of the egg, 4th-instar and 5th-instar nymph, pre-adult, total pre-oviposition (TPOP) and mean generation time (T) for the LC25 treatment were significantly longer than those of the control and LC10 treatment. However, the duration of the adult, the longevity of male and female adults and the oviposition days of female adults for the LC25 treatment were significantly shortened. The fecundity of female adults, intrinsic rate of increase (r), net reproductive rate (R0) and finite rate of increase (λ) for the LC25 treatment were significantly decreased compared with those of other treatments. The duration of the egg and pre-adult stage for the LC10 treatment were longer than those of the control group, but the population parameters showed no significant difference. Therefore, the LC25 of B. bassiana BEdy1 can inhibit the population growth of S. furcifera.