An-Najah Staff

A new invert emulsion formulation of entomopathogenic fungi was developed using non-toxic ingredients readily available in  Australia and tested for compatibility with two Australian strains of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.). Laboratory bioassays were  conducted to determine the efficacy of these fungi when applied in an invert emulsion formulation against yellow mealworm larvae, Tenebrio molitor L. The entomopathogenic fungi consistently caused higher mortality of T. molitor larvae when the invert emulsion was used compared with aqueous conidia suspensions. When B. bassiana strain BG1 was applied as an invert emulsion using different concentrations, the LC50 (measured as conidia mL-1) was > 600x lower than the LC50 of aqueous suspension of the conidia. The invert emulsion formulation tested improved the consistency and efficacy of the fungal strains tested against T. molitor under controlled conditions and has the potential to increase their efficacy when used on a commercial scale.