SELECTION OF ISOLATES OF THE ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGUS METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE (METSCH.) SOROK., AIMING AT THE CONTROL OF THE SUGARCANE BORER DIATRAEA SACCHARALIS (FABR., 1794)

ABSTRACT Aiming to improve the methods for controlling the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis, this study tested some strains of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae under laboratory conditions. Initially, the value of the lethal concentration (LC90) was calculated, and set at 5 x 108 conidia/mL. Next, 27 different strains were tested for their pathogenicity and virulence in regard to larvae of D. saccharalis of approximately 1.5 cm, with retesting of the best isolates (confirmed mortalities above 80%) to confirm the results. Next, the values of lethal time (LT50) were calculated for the best strains, which were mass produced on pre-cooked rice, verifying the average sporulation of these isolates. Generally, the mortality confirmed among the 27 isolates ranged from 54 to 100%, with IBCB 167, 351, 383, 384, 410, 417, 418, 425 and 481 able to generate mortality over 80%. In terms of lethal time (LT50), IBCB 383 showed a shorter time of 6.83 days, while the greatest conidiogenesis was recorded for IBCB 417, with 2.52 x 109 conidia/g.