ABSTRACT
The search for information to control Thaumastocoris peregrinus (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae) in Eucalyptus, focus on the use of biological control techniques, including the use of entomopathogenic fungi. The objective of this study was evaluated the pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana and Isaria sp. on Thaumastocoris peregrinus, under laboratory conditions. To do so, we tested four isolates of Beauveria bassiana VUILL. AND Isaria sp. EFFICIENCY FOR Thaumastocoris peregrinus CARPINTERO & DELLAPÉ (HEMIPTERA: THAUMASTOCORIDAE) CONTROL of 1.0 × 108 conidia mL-1. The solution was applied on leaves of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, provided as food for the insect substrates, and maintained in glass bottles sealed with plastic film in a climatic chamber (26 ± 2 ° C, 14 h photoperiod and U.R. 70 ± 10%). Four replicates were performed (bottles) for isolated with 13 adult insects per bottle. Each bottle received 13 adult insects. Evaluations were performed until the fifth day after application. The dead insects were placed in humid chamber for confirmation of death by pathogen. All isolates were pathogenic to Thaumastocoris peregrinus. The confirmed mortality ranged between 37% and 80.1% for Beauveria bassiana, and was 87% for Isaria sp. after 10 days of application. The highest mean percentage of daily mortality (39.9%) occurred on the fourth day after contact with the substrate insect spray. The isolates of Beauveria bassiana and Isaria sp. evaluated presented potential to control Thaumastocoris peregrinus under laboratory conditions.
Keywords:
bronze bug; entomopathogenic fungi; biological control; Eucalyptus
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