ABSTRACT
The state of Paraná exceeds all other Brazilian states in terms of silk production. Approximately 7,000 agricultural producers engage in this activity, in about 200 counties. During the caterpillar stage, silkworms (Bombyx mori L.) are susceptible to a number of diseases caused by viruses, fungi, and bacteria. These diseases seriously impact cocoon production, and consequently result in losses for producers. To study the entomopathogens associated to B. mori caterpillars in the state of Paraná, the present study was carried out at the main producing regions from November 2002 to April 2003. Live and/or dead caterpillars suspected of infection were collected directly from the rearing huts of silk-producing companies. The collected material was stored in plastic containers, properly identified and placed in cooler boxes. In the laboratory, the caterpillars were processed by specific methodologies according to the suspected pathogen. After isolation, the entomopathogens Baculovirus (31.4%), Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. (5.3%) and Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (2.2%) were identified.
KEY WORDS
Silkworm; Baculovirus;
Bacillus thuringiensis
;
Beauveria bassiana