Selection of Strains of Metarhizium Anisopliae To Control Aeneolamia Varia (Hemiptera: Cercopidae)

The sugarcane spittlebug, Aeneolamia varia (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) is an important economic pest in the Cauca valley, Colombia since 2007. Native strains of M. anisopliae maintained at the Sugarcane Research Center of Colombia (Cenicaña), and others isolated from larvae of Galleria mellonella , used as a trap in soil samples, and spittle-bugs with signs of infection, were characterized in relation to virulence, spore production, radial growth, germination and characteristics of the colony. To evaluate the virulence of native strains, a bioassay was designed, including reference strains and commercial formulations. Braquiaria plants in laboratory were infested with teneral adults (<24 hours), then were sprayed with 15 ml of fungi at a concentration of 1x10⁷ spores/ml. Virulence on nymphs was evaluated under greenhouse conditions, spraying at the plant rhizosphere, 4 ml of fungi preparations with a concentration of 1x10⁹ spores/ml. The native strains CCMa0906, CCMa1005 and CCMa1008, showed the best physiological characteristics and adult virulence (76.0-90.7% of dead individuals). Four native strains of M. anisopliae (CCMa0906, CCMa1001, CCMa1005 and CCMa1008) showed higher virulence against nymphs of A. varia , causing mortalities of 75.7%, 58.2%, 58.8% and 59.6%, respectively. Only one commercial product coded CCMa01, was selected due to mortality on A. varia and quality control of its formulation.