Compatibility of Metarhizium Anisopliae (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) with Several Insectisides

The entomopathogenic fungus conidia viability and sporulation may be affected by different environmental factors or by bio-pesticides and chemical products used to protect cultivated plants. In this research, we investigated the compatibility of Metarhizium anisopliae DEMI 001 isolates with three insecticides: fipronil, pyriproxyfen and hexaflumuron. The effect of fipronil, pyriproxyfen and hexaflumuron on sporulation, vegetative growth and conidial germination of the fungus was studied based on measuring the vegetative growth and sporulation. SDA medium was mixed with fipronil (10, 40 and 120 ppm), pyriproxyfen (10, 500 and 1 000 ppm), hexaflumuron (20, 50 and 120 ppm). SAD medium excluding insecticides was designated as blank. To determine the sporulation rate, spores was counted on surface area and vegetative growth was measured on the basis of colony diameter. The results showed that hexaflumuron at the concentration of 120 ppm reduced the vegetative growth to 0% showing the highest reduction effect compared to pyriproxyfen (24.59%) and fipronil (24.31%). All three insecticides reduced drastically the conidial germination at the highest concentrations (0-15%). Hexaflumuron treatment with 0% germination at all three concentrations and fipronil and pyriproxyfen with 32.36% and 9.7% germination at 200 ppm were not significantly different. Regarding the highest negative effect of hexaflumuron on germination at all three concentrations, this insecticide should not be applied together with the entomopathogenic fungus.