ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to evaluate the pathogenicity of several species of entomopathogenic fungi against 2nd to 4th instars of Diaphorina citri. Bioassays were carried out with Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Lecanicillium muscarum, L. longisporum, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, P. farinosus and Syngliocladium sp. in a 5 x 107 conidia/mL concentration. The concentration used for the Hirsutella thompsonii strain was 2.8 x 107 conidia/mL. Seedlings of orange jasmine, Murraya paniculata, infested with nymphs of the insect, were sprayed with the conidia suspensions. The fungi B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, H. thompsonii, L. longisporum and P. fumosoroseus were pathogenic to the nymphs. The strain of B. bassiana (Esalq-PL63) was the most pathogenic, causing 72% of mortality at 7 days postinoculation. This strain did not complete its development in the host because the conidiogenesis was inhibited. However, it is a potential microbial control agent against D. citri nymphs, affecting their physiology and causing high mortality.
KEY WORDS
Psyllid;
Beauveria bassiana
; biological control
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