Assessment of Local Substrates from Burkina Faso for the Growth of Entomopathogenic Fungi Metarhizium pingshaense for Malaria Vector Control Perspectives

Malaria is a potentially lethal disease caused by parasites of the Plasmodium genus, transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female mosquitoes, primarily Anopheles. To control this disease, various strategies are implemented, including biological control, which targets the vectors of the parasite. This approach uses biological agents such as entomopathogenic fungi, including Metarhizium pingshaense, a fungus capable of causing lethal infections in mosquitoes. The production of Metarhizium pingshaense is still limited in Burkina Faso, and local cultivation of this fungus could help fill this gap. A study was conducted to identify optimal local substrates that promote its growth. Indeed, after gathering information on the dietary habits of populations in Bobo-Dioulasso and Bama, three potential substrates were selected: rice, cornmeal dough (MFL), and beans. These substrates were inoculated with two strains of Metarhizium pingshaense (S10 and S26) to assess their ability to support fungal growth and their effectiveness. Experimental results showed that MFL and bean substrates favored optimal growth of Metarhizium pingshaense, with growths of 1.91 cm and 2.13 cm after 8 days, compared to 1.83 cm on a standard media (PDA). In terms of virulence, S26 strain caused 60% mosquito mortality on both the bean and PDA media, while S10 strain induced mortalities of 50% for bean and 62% for PDA.