Susceptibility of the aphid Myzus persicae to two isolates of the pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana from Basra

Subject Areas : Entomology

Rahman Aziz Abdul Hamza Al-Makhdari1 ¹ , Shima Rahmani ² , سیده معصومه هاشمی نیا ³

1 - Department of Plant Protection, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 -
3 - گروه آموزشی دانشکده کشاورزی و علوم پایه، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد رودهن

Received: 2025-05-15 Accepted : 2025-06-22 Published : 2025-09-08

Keywords: bioassay, aphid, pathogenic fungi, biological control.,

Abstract :

The aphid Myzus persicae is a polyphagous insect that can cause significant damage to various crops. Due to the resistance of M. persicae to many pesticides, the use of alternative compounds is recommended.  Beauveria bassiana is recognized as an effective pathogen for aphid control and has gained attention due to its non-toxicity to mammals and its potential for long-term pest control. In this study, the pathogenicity of two local isolates from Basra, Iraq, against M. persicae was evaluated. Bioassay experiments were conducted under 25±1°C, 70% relative humidity, and a 16-hour light photoperiod over ten days. The results showed that with increasing concentration, the mortality rate also increased. The LC₅₀ of Bb 25 was 4.28×10⁵ conidia/mL, and the LC₅₀ of Bb 195 was 3.75×10⁵ conidia/mL, indicating that Bb 195 had a higher mortality effect than Bb 25. The LT₅₀ of isolate Bb 195 at all concentrations was lower than that of Bb 25, and as the concentration increased, the LT₅₀ also decreased. The lowest LT₅₀ (5.89 days) was observed in the Bb 195 treatment at 10⁸ conidia/mL, while the highest LT₅₀ (12.54 days) was found in the Bb 25 treatment at 10³ conidia/mL. This research concluded that both Beauveria bassiana isolates from Basra were considered effective in causing mortality in M. persicae. However, isolate Bb 195 demonstrated better potential as a biological control agent due to its higher insecticidal effect and faster action.

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