Abstract
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major staple for the majority of the global population and plays a significant role in economic stability. Being a staple food, it is attacked by various insect pests mainly aphids. Rhpalosiphum padi and Shizaphis graminum are considered serious aphid pests of the wheat crop. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the insecticidal potential of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae against aphid species. B. bassiana and M. anisopliae were tested at three same dose rates (1.05 × 1013, 0.52 × 1013 and 2.1 × 1013conidia /ml) against the aphid species both in laboratory and field settings. Under laboratory conditions, B. bassiana and M. anisopliae were applied at the same dose rate and data regarding the mortality of insects were recorded after 3, 5 and 7 days. In the field, treatments were applied three times with a 15-day interval between each application. B. bassiana@1.05 × 1013conidia /ml resulted in maximum mortality against R. padi (83.39%) than S. graminum (79.36%) under laboratory conditions after a 7-day interval. Similarly, under field conditions, the mortality rates were 69.33% for R. padi, and 66.34% for S. graminum after the third spray treatment. The results concluded that B. bassiana provides more effective control than M. anisopliae under both laboratory and natural conditions against R. Padi and S. graminum.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are highly thankful to the field staff of the Entomological Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan, especially Muhammad Umair and Rauf Ali for their continuous struggle in insect and data collection throughout the study period. The authors are also thankful to the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.
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The studies were carried out with the assistance of the annual budget provided by the Agriculture Department, Government of the Punjab, Pakistan.
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MA and MF designed the layout and conducted the experiments; QA and DH supervised the research and provided necessary materials; SH and MS helped in data analysis, and conducted the experiments; ND and MY contributed to the data analysis; all the authors have read and approved the manuscript.
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Ashraf, M., Hussain, D., Hussain, S. et al. Potential of two entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and metarhizium anisopliae as biocontrol agents of Rhpalosiphum padi and Shizaphis graminum, (Homoptera: Aphididae) in laboratory and field. Int J Trop Insect Sci 44, 307–312 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-024-01160-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-024-01160-5