Effectiveness of two entomopathogen fungi for the Pseudococcus spp. control

Abstract

The complex of insects suckers belonging to genus Pseudococcus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) affects among other vegetable species to the caucho sabanero, Ficus soatensis Dugand, specie broadly employed in the Bogotá urban afforestation without being reported as having affected by the insect-pest; its high abundance at the city and its association with the insects took to evaluate mechanisms of efficient management, whit very low pollution cost and residence times due to the urban condition. The mortality of Pseudococcus spp. was evaluated under treatment with two entomopathogenic fungi: Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae in soluble powder formulation at 5 concentrations plus a control in a totally randomized design under laboratory conditions. The evaluated treatments did not show effect on the pest, possibly because of the strains virulence or the product formulation. It is suggested the evaluation of other strains and other formulations to find effective isolations.