FERREIRA, Gilanna Falcão.; SILVA, Geisi Maria Henrique da.; TAVARES, Laísa Macedo.; BEZERRA, Nathália Souza.; ANDRADE, Adrielly Silva Albuquerque de.; DIAS, Emanuele Cardoso.; ALMEIDA, Andréa Farias de.; SOUSA, Adna Cristina Barbosa de.
Abstract:
Metarhizium anisopliae is used as a bio-insecticide in the biocontrol of
several agricultural pests. For its use in biocontrol it is necessary to produce large-scale
conidia. Conidia are produced in rice and due to the high cost of production, there is
interest in finding alternative substrates that guarantee the viability and production of
large-scale conidia with low cost. Therefore, our objective was to analyze the potential
of the algaroba fiber as an alternative substrate for the conidiogenesis of M. anisopliae
and its viability on the cutter ant. For conidiogenesis, 1x108 conidia/mL were inoculated
into 30 g of the algaroba fiber and analyzed for 10 days. For viability/pathogenicity
analysis, 30 leaf cutting ants were used. The ants were immersed in a suspension of
1x108 conidia/mL. A bioassay was performed with three replicates plus the control group.
The algaroba fiber guaranteed the growth and sporulation of M. anisopliae. The conidia produced in the fiber of the algaroba were viable with a percentage of germination around
98.21%. The pathogenicity was confirmed in the cutter ant after adhesion and
germination of the conidia on the cuticle surface causing 100% death, except for the
control group. After 120 h the total mummification of the ants and new conidia were
observed, guaranteeing the perpetuation of the fungus. The algaroba fiber indicated to
be an alternative substrate for the production of M. ansiopliae, for use in the biological
control of several pest insects, to minimize the ecotoxic damages in animal and vegetal
production.
