HONGO ENTOMOPATÓGENO NATIVO ASOCIADO A LARVAS DE LEPIDÓPTERO CON POTENCIAL DE APROVECHAMIENTO AGRÍCOLA EN EL VALLE DE TOLUCA

Abstract

NATIVE ENTOMO-PATHOGENIC FUNGUS ASSOCIATED WITH LEPIDOPTERAN LARVAE WITH POTENTIAL FOR AGRICULTURAL USE IN THE TOLUCA VALLEY.

Entomopathogenic fungi represent alternatives to the use and application of insecticides, one of the most commonly used methods in the conventional control of pests of agricultural importance, because they represent an alternative with low ecological impact in the control of pest populations of different crops. The presence of an entomopathogenic fungus native was found in the municipality of Zinacantepec, State of Mexico, in insects of the order Lepidoptera. Isolations of the possible entomopathogen were made from infected larvae in PDA medium and analyzed with molecular techniques. A bioassay was also carried out on succulent plants of the Crassulaceae family infested with a phytophagous species of Lepidoptera to confirm the infection of the fungus, determine the mortality capacity of the strain, and determine the average death time of the insects. An ANOVA was used to measure the strain mortality. In the different growths, the presence of a fungus with morphological characteristics similar to Beauveria spp. was always consistent. Molecular analysis indicated the identity of the Beauveria bassiana fungus. The mortality of the strain was 100% at a concentration of 1x109 and 80% at 1 x 108, for an average lethal time of 6 days and 5.66 days, respectively. It is important to rescue, identify, and preserve the microorganisms that were found in our regions to conserve biodiversity, and together with the strains that are conserved in research centers, conduct studies to evaluate their virulence, and obtain native strains with bioinsecticidal potential, and implement their use in programs of integrated pest management.