Sitophilus oryzae causes considerable damage in stored grain. Considering sustainable agricultural practices biological control plays an important role in the control of this pest. In this study, the pathogenicity of a Beauveria bassiana isolate (F7-1) against S. oryzae adults and the effect of ambient relative humidity (RH) were investigated. For each experimental unit, fungal spores were applied to 40 gr wheat kernels within a 50 ml centrifuge tube. Thereafter, S. oryzae adults were placed in the tube. The tests were conducted at 26±2 °C temperature, 65±5% RH in darkness. The mortality of S. oryzae was recorded 7 and 14 later. For the pathogenicity test, spore concentrations were applied at 250, 500, 1000 and 1500 ppm. Increasing with the concentration, lethal effect reached to a maximum of 87.7%. According to the results of the experiment carried out to determine the effect of ambient relative humidity on fungal pathogenicity, adult mortality did not differ statistically at 65-75% RH. However, when RH was increased to 100%, the mortality reached to a statistically higher level of 91.6%. It is concluded that B. bassiana F7-1 has a considerable potential providing appropriate concentrations, and ambient humidity did not have a limiting effect except for extreme conditions.
Primary Language | English |
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Subjects | Entomology in Agriculture |
Journal Section | Research Articles |
Authors | |
Early Pub Date | June 30, 2024 |
Publication Date | June 30, 2024 |
Submission Date | December 8, 2023 |
Acceptance Date | April 24, 2024 |
Published in Issue | Year 2024 |