Twenty-seven strains of entomopathogenic fungi from diverse hosts and geographic regions were tested for their virulence, total conidia production and viability rate. The conidia production was made in PDA medium. Leptopharsa heveae third instar nymphs were inoculated with fungi suspension at the concentration of 1 x 10(9) conidia/mL. In each two days, confirmed mortality evaluations were done and a large variation of virulence was observed, been 1,189, of Metarhizium anisopliae, the best one. The top five strains, plus the two standards, were then submitted to production tests. For this purpose, pre-matrices in PDA medium were prepared, from which matrices in rice medium were after inoculated at the concentration of 5 x 10(7) conidia/mL. From the rice matrices, polypropylene bags with maize medium were inoculated with 40 mL of these suspensions. After fifteen days of incubation, the bags content were evaluated for total conidia production and their viability. The 1200 strain, of Isaria fumosorosea, presented the best results in total yield and viability rate; to E9 strain of de Metarhizium anisopliae was more virulent to rubber tree lacebug.
Microbial control; rubber tree lacebug; rubber tree; production; pathogenic efficiency