Relatives virulence of local entomopathogenic fungal isolates infecting apple stem borer, Aeolesthes sarta Solsky

The pathogenicity of three local entomopathogenic fungal isolates, Beauveria bassiana, B. brongniartii and Metharhizium anisopliae, each at three concentrations (1 x 10⁸, 1 x 10⁶ and 1 x 10⁴ conidialml of spore suspension), was established against the grubs of A. sarta under laboratory conditions. All the isolates proved pathogenic though with varied degree and virulence to the grubs of A. sarta. The fungal isolate B. bassiana proved most promising against the grubs of A. sarta followed by B. brongniartii and Metarhizium inosopliae.