1Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National isolates caused lower mortality on the rhinoceros Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
2Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Pingtung, Taiwan
Department of Plant Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
*Corresponding author, E-mail: tychang@mail.npust.edu.tw
Online published on 17 August, 2020.
In this laboratory study, susceptibility of Ragweed leaf beetle (RLB) (Ophraella communa) was tested against M. anisopliae infection. A single concentration (1 × 107 spores/ml) of four different local strains of M. anisopliae (ARSEF Ma 725, ARSEF Ma 6677, Ma PM303 and Ma PMG1106) were tested against the three larval instars and the adult male and female RLB. Results showed that mortality reduced with increased in larva age. Among the tested strains, except ARSEF Ma 6677 strain, all three strains caused 82–97, 6280 and 43–70% mortality of first, second and third instar larvae of RLB, respectively. Those three stains caused 67–80% adult mortality of RLB. Based upon the lethal time (LT50) value, first instar larvae were the most susceptible to M. anisopliae and females were more susceptible than males to M. anisopliae.
Bitterweed, Metarhizium anisopliae, Ophraella communa, Parthenium hysterophoru, pathogenicity, Ragweed leaf beetle
