The Potential of Metarhizium Anisopliae (Metschikoff) Sorokin (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) as a Biological Control Agent of Inopus Rubriceps (Macquart) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

Isolates of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae were bioassayed against larvae of Inopus rubriceps Where spore concentration was high (6.7 × 105‐6.7 × 1 06 spores/g of soil) all isolates were pathogenic At lower concentration (6.7 × 10 4 sores/g soil), pathogenicity varied significantly between isolates, as did their ability to grow and sporulate on the larval cadaver followng internal colonisation There was variation in the campatibility of M. anisopliae isolates with pesticides used on sugarcane, but certain isolates were highly compatible. Although some of the isolates of M. anisopliae were highly pathogenic and highly compatible with the pesticides tested, strain improvement to enhance epizootic potential may be appropriate. M. anisopliae has the potential to be an effective biological control agent of I. rubriceps.