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Metarhizium anisopliae is a promising alternative to chemical pesticides against pine wilt disease caused by Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Herein, we investigated the efficacy of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) to prolong the shelf-life of the M. anisopliae conidia. The effects of various conditions on its stability were also examined. M. anisopliae-inoculated millet grains were treated in a MAP system with different packaging materials (polypropylene, PP; polyethylene terephthalate, PET; ethylene vinyl alcohol, EVOH), gas compositions (high CO2 atmosphere, ≈ 90%; high O2 atmosphere, > 95%; high N2 atmosphere, > 95%; 30% CO2 + 70% N2; 50% CO2 + 50% N2; 70% CO2 + 30% N2), and storage temperatures (4 and 25 °C). Results revealed EVOH film as the best for the preservation of gases at all concentrations for 28 days. MAP treatment in the high-barrier EVOH film under an atmosphere of 30% CO2 + 70% N2 achieved 80.5% viability of dried conidia (7.4% moisture content), with 44.2–64.9% viability recorded with the other treatments. Cold storage for technical concentrates formulation promoted extension of shelf-life of MAP-treated conidia. These results imply that MAP under optimized conditions could enhance the shelf-life of fungus-based biopesticides in fungus-colonized substrates formulations.

Commercial plant essential oils from 26 plant species were tested for their nematicidal activities against the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Good nematicidal activity against B. xylophilus was achieved with essential oils of ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi), allspice (Pimenta dioica) and litsea (Litsea cubeba). Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry led to identification of 12, 6 and 16 major compounds from ajowan, allspice and litsea oils, respectively. These compounds from three plant essential oils were tested individually for their nematicidal activities against the pinewood nematode. LC(50) values of geranial, isoeugenol, methyl isoeugenol, eugenol, methyl eugenol and neral against pine wood nematodes were 0.120, 0.200, 0.210, 0.480, 0.517 and 0.525 mg/ml, respectively. The essential oils described herein merit further study as potential nematicides against the pinewood nematode.

2004, Includes bibliographical references