Toxicity study of different isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae extracted from the soil of different orchards of East Azarbaijan on flour moth (Anagasta kuehniella)

Abstract

Introduction: Entomopathogenic fungi are the biocontrol agents which naturally keep the
insect population in balance and can be used as microbial insecticides.
Materials & Methods: In the present study, some isolates of entomopathogenic fungi were
isolated from different soil samples and their virulence was investigated against flour moth,
Anagasta kuehniella Zeller (Lep: Pyralidae). Five isolates M. anisopliae from Twenty isolates
were isolated, using soil-baiting method from collected soil samples in different gardens East
Azarbaijan were identified. The flour moth, A. kuehniella were infected using dipping method
with isolates were performed at 5 concentrations, in 3 replications and with 12 of flour moth.
Results: The results showed that the instars of fourth larval instars of flour moth were
susceptible to all isolates of M. anisopliae. The most virulent isolates were MTA with
approximately 90% mortality on A. kuehniella. The most virulent isolates were MTA with
0.42×106 conidia/ml LC50 on A. kuehniella while the least virulent isolate were MTV 4.3×109
conidia/ml LC50 on A. kuehniella.
Conclusion: Comparison of means and grouping of isolates showed that there was a significant
difference between M. anisopliae isolates and the effectiveness of different concentrations.