African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12487

Full Length Research Paper

Entomopathogenic fungi in population of Zonocerus variegatus (l) in Ibadan, Southwest, Nigeria

S.A. Balogun1* and O.E. Fagade2
1Environmental Unit, Department of Microbiology, Adekunle Ajasin University PMB 001 Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria. 2Environmental and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 15 July 2004
  •  Published: 31 August 2004

Abstract

Field survey of population of Zonocerus variegatus revealed a high fungal incidence of 76% when Sporulation tests were carried out on grasshoppers cadaver. Eight fungi with differing incidence rates were isolated. These are Fusarium sp. (8%); Beauveria bassiana (18%); Metarhizium sp. (20%); Aspergillus flavus (10%); Penicillium sp. (13%) Aspergillus niger   (14%); Mucor sp. (13%) and unidentified fungus (4%). Fungal isolates virulence bioassay response showed that B. bassiana had the highest lethal time (LT50) of 2 days. Metarhizium sp with LT50 of 5 days was selected in lieu ofA. niger which does not prove to be pathogenic to grasshoppers. The results were discussed in relation to the ecology of fungal pathogens of the variegated grasshopper and their possible role in control of Z. variegatus in the agroecosystem of south west, Nigeria.

 

Key words: Fungal ecology, entomopathogenic fungi, Zonocerus variegatus infection incidence.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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