Evaluation of Spore Density in Metarhizium anisopliae

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are recognized as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical insecticides for insect pest management. Among them, Metarhizium anisopliae has shown broad-spectrum pathogenicity against various agricultural and forest pests. The efficacy of M. anisopliae largely depends on the density and viability of its conidia (asexual spores), which determine infection efficiency and persistence under field conditions. This study quantifies spore density of M. anisopliae under different culture media and incubation periods. The results obtained during this study revealed that Sabouraud Dextrose Agar supplemented with yeast extract (SDAY) produced significantly higher spore counts (2.4 × 10 conidia/ml) as compared to Potato Dextrose Agar (1.3 × 10 conidia/ml). Spore viability was consistently above 85 %. These findings highlights the importance of optimizing culture conditions for mass production of high-quality spores and their implications for effective biocontrol formulations in sustainable pest management.