Virulence of different entomopathogenic fungal strains against different life stages of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14634911Keywords:
Virulence, Fall Armyworm, Fungal strains, Entomopathogenic fungi, FAW mortalityAbstract
Maize holds great significance in Pakistan's agricultural landscape as it is an essential crop that plays a vital role in the country's food security and agricultural economy. However, the recent invasion of Spodoptera frugiperda, commonly known as fall armyworm (FAW), poses a significant threat to the sustainability of maize production in Pakistan. Therefore, it is imperative to address and manage this challenge to safeguard the nation's agricultural stability and ensure the continued well-being of its communities. The evaluation of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), including Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Trichoderma viride, Isaria fumosorosea, Lecanicillium lecanii, and Aspergillus Niger, is a valuable initiative to understand their effectiveness in inducing mortality across various biological parameters against fall armyworm. The findings are noteworthy, indicating the varying efficacy of different entomopathogenic fungi in causing mortality across different life stages of fall armyworm. B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, and A. Niger stand out for causing the highest egg mortality at 34.09%, 25.44%, and 23.60%, respectively. Moreover, the impact on larval mortality is significant, with B. bassiana and M. anisopliae demonstrating their effectiveness across multiple instars. Notably, B. bassiana led in causing the highest mortality in the 1st, 4th, and 6th instars, while M. anisopliae had the highest impact in the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th instars. Additionally, B. bassiana and M. anisopliae caused the highest larval mortality of 31.43% and 22.77%, 23.43% and 18.77%, 22.76% and 13.44%, 29.02% and 20.36%, 19.92% and 15.43%, 21.64% and 12.32% against 1st instar, 2nd instar, 3rd instar, 4th instar, 5th instar and 6th instar respectively. The consistent pattern of mortality caused by B. bassiana and M. anisopliae extends to pupae of Fall Armyworm (FAW), with respective rates of 18.76% and 12.77%. The reliable impact on different life stages shows potential utility of B. bassiana and M. anisopliae in comprehensive pest management strategies.
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