Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

BioControl

Publication Date

2-1-2004

Abstract

The effect of temperature on conidial germination, mycelial growth, and susceptibility of adults of three tephritid fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), C. fasciventris (Bezzi) and C. cosyra (Walker) to six isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae were studied in the laboratory. There were significant differences among the isolates in the effect of temperature on both germination and growth. Over 80% of conidia germinated at 20, 25 and 30°C, while between 26 and 67% conidia germinated at 35°C and less than 10% at 15°C within 24 hours. Radial growth was slow at 15°C and 35°C with all of the isolates. The optimum temperature for germination and mycelial growth was 25°C. Mortality caused by the six fungal isolates against the three fruit fly species varied with temperature, isolate, and fruit fly species. Fungal isolates were more effective at 25, 30 and 35°C than at 20°C. The LT90 values decreased with increasing temperature up to the optimum temperature of 30°C. There were significant differences in susceptibility between fly species to fungal infection at all the temperatures tested.

Keywords

Ceratitis capitata, Ceratitis cosyra, Ceratitis fasciventris, Germination, Metarhizium anisopliae, Temperature

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