Insect Science and its Application (2001) 21, 55-60

S. Ekesi (2001)
Pathogenicity and antifeedant activity of entomopathogenic hyphomycetes to the cowpea leaf beetle, Ootheca mutabilis Shalberg
Insect Science and its Application 21 (1), 55-60
Abstract: Conidial suspensions of four isolates each of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae were evaluated in the laboratory for their virulence to adult Ootheca mutabilis. All the isolates tested were pathogenic to the beetle, but to varying degrees. Three of them, B. bassiana CPD 3 and CPD 10 and M. anisopliae CPD 6 were superior to all other isolates in terms of mortality induced on adult beetle, LT₅₀ and LC₅₀, with B. bassiana CPD 3 having the lowest LC₅₀ value. In feeding assays, leaf consumption by beetles treated with B. bassiana CPD 3 was significantly reduced within 2 days after treatment (DAT) and the trend continued until 7 DAT, when all the beetles died. The antifeedant effects of the pathogen on O. mutabilis could partly offset its slow speed of kill, and might play an important role in field control.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Sunday Ekesi

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ootheca mutabilis	Cowpea and relatives (Vigna)
Beauveria bassiana (entomopathogen)	Ootheca mutabilis	Cowpea and relatives (Vigna)
Metarhizium anisopliae (entomopathogen)	Ootheca mutabilis	Cowpea and relatives (Vigna)