Selection of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) and Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) isolates to control Alabama argillacea (Huebner) caterpillars

Abstract

The cotton leafworm, Alabama argillacea (Huebner, 1818) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is considered to be one of the key pests in herbaceous cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. r. latifolium Hutch) cropping, with constant occurrence in all cotton-growing states of Brazil. In this study Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana isolates were screened and evaluated for pathogenicity against Alabama argillaceae. Initially, a screening of ten isolates of each fungus in a concentracion of 10(8) conidia mL-1, was carried out on 3rd instar larvae of A. argillacea. Further studies were conducted to determine the pathogenicity and virulence of six and seven isolates of M. anisopliae and B. bassiana, respectively, against 3rd instar larvae of A. argillacea and using the concentrations of 10(6), 10(7), 10(8), and 10(9) conidia mL-1. The experiments were carried out in Recife, PE, Brazil, at 27 ± 2ºC, RH 70 ± 5% and a photophase of 12 hours. Mortalities caused by M. anisopliae isolate at the different concentrations ranged from 4.5 to 91.2%, the highest mortality percentage being found for the isolate 1189 at 10(9) conidia mL-1. The isolate 645 of B. bassiana caused the highest mortality at the highest concentration, followed by isolates 634, 604, and IPA 198. The lowest lethal time for B. bassiana and M. anisopliae, was achieved by the isolates 483 (4.1 days) and 1189 (2.0 days), respectively. The isolates 1189, 1022 e 866 of M. anisopliae and 483, IPA198 and 604 of B. bassiana, at 10(8) e 10(9) conidia mL-1 are promissing for use the integrated control of A. argillacea larvae, but M. anisopliae seems more effective.