INFECTION PROCESS OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI Metarhizium anisopliae IN THE Tetranychus kanzawai (KISHIDA) (TETRANYCHIDAE: ACARINA)

Abstract

The importance of fungal attack to acarina has been observed but not yet on Tetranychus kanzawai. When infected mite, either within in a same  species or even in a different  species of  entomopathigenic probably  have  similar signs and simptoms to mites.  Characteristic of entomopathogenic fungus to Tetranychus kanza-wai was investigated. Three selected isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae, from Philippines and Indonesia were evaluated. The following aspects were investigated: (1) Bioassay tes of virulence, (2) Koch Postulate and (3) Infection process on each fungus against mite. Virulence of  Metarhizium anisopliae was 1.4 X 10³, 7.2 X 10² , 5 X 10² PIB per ml on Ma4, Ma5 and Ma6, respectively. On Koch Postulates, Reinoculation and reisolation of all seven isolates from infected T. kanzawai showed definite signs of infection. This demonstrated its entomopathogenic capacity. In this experiment, adult mites were sprayed with 10⁸ per ml concentrations of conidia observed under light microscope and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The result found  T. kanzawai was very susceptible to three isolates M. anisopliae. In the end of the trials, fungal growth was detectable as early as 2 until 4 days of observation. Infection process with microphoto-graph and Scanning Electro Microscopy showed attachment, germination and penetration, extrusion and conidiogenesis fungal form.

Keywords: Infection, Tetranychus kanzawai, Metarhizium anisopliae, Light micros-copy, Scanning Electro Microscopy (SEM)