A recent study investigates the effectiveness of two entomopathogenic fungi, Alternaria murispora and Alternaria destruens, along with the bacterium Streptomyces bellus-E23-2, in controlling the cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis, a significant threat to crops worldwide. Laboratory trials at 26 ± 2°C tested these agents individually and in combination, measuring their impact on mortality rates and lethal concentration (LC50) values.
Results indicated that A. murispora at 10^10 conidia/mL achieved the highest mortality rate of 79.7%. Combination treatments, particularly A. murispora with S. bellus E23-2, improved efficacy, reaching 85.3% mortality. Greenhouse trials confirmed that these combinations effectively reduced mealybug populations and enhanced the number of infected insects without harming plant quality, unlike the chemical insecticide imidacloprid, which negatively affected visual quality.
Overall, the study suggests that Alternaria murispora and S. bellus E23-2 provide sustainable and plant-safe alternatives to chemical pesticides for managing P. solenopsis, supporting environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
Source: Frontiers.