Isolation and Evaluation of Native Metarhizium anisopliae Strains against the Greater Wax Moth Galleria mellonella Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

This study aimed to isolate and identify native entomopathogenic fungi from different locations at South Sinai governorate, Egypt and to evaluate their virulence against the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in comparison with other native entomopathogenic fungi. A new native Metarhizium strain was isolated from the examined soil and micromorphologicaly identified as M. anisopliae, using light and scanning electron microscope. Virulence of the new native M. anisopliae isolate (SSMa-1) was evaluated with comparison to the M. anisopliae isolate, obtained from the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliver) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), against larvae of the greater wax moth. Entomopathogenicity tests showed a significant decrease in egg hatchability with both M. anisopliae strains. SSMa-1 isolate was more potent (100% mortality at 1x108 viable conidia) comparing to Kalub-3 isolate which showed moderate pathogenicity (54% mortality at 1x108 viable conidia) against the test insect. SSMa-1 at 1x106 and 1x107 viable conidia recorded 78 and 90% mortality rates, respectively after 12 days, while Kalub-3 isolate recorded 30 and 50% after the same period. Moreover, SSM-1 showed the lowest LT50 values (4.47, 5.88, 7.34 days) with different suspension concentrations (1x108, 1x107 and 1x106 viable conidia). However, Kalub-3 isolate had a LT50 value of 10.22 days at the highest tested concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]