Ash from Cooking fires Synergizes Efficacy of the Entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae against Four Major Stored Product Insect Pests
DOI:36108/NJE/5002/22.0180
EKESI, S.
ABSTRACT
Combinations of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae and ash from cooking fires were tested for the control of Sitophilus zeamais on maize, Sitotroga cerealella on sorghum, Caryedon serratus on groundnut and Callosobruchus maculatus on cowpea. The fungus was tested at rates of 10, 50, 100 and 200 mg conidia/kilogram of grain with and without a single rate of 300 mg of ash/kilogram of grain. Bioassay revealed synergistic effects on all insects at all the dosages of M. anisopliae tested.Combination of the fungus and ash also significantly reduced F1 progeny emergence at levels comparable to high doses of either ash or M. anisopliae alone. The results suggests that the current use of high application rates of conidia for stored grain environment may not be commercially acceptable and the development of effective abrasive formulation of conidia in ash should provide basis for application of conidia at reduced doses which are equally effective as previously used high dose rates.