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Poster: Biology & Disease Mgmt: Biological Control

177-P

Infection duration of entomopathogenic fungi Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp. against Bemisia tabaci
W. Anwar (1), H. Mushtaq (1), M. Haider (1), A. Shahid (1), U. Hameed (1), M. Ur-Rehman (1) (1) Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, 54590, Pakistan

Entomopathogenic fungi are emerging as biocontrol of insects and new fungi are isolated from different insects with passage of time. The aim of present study was to observe the steps of infection of different Aspergillus and Fusarium species and their duration of infection against Bemisia tabaci. To observe the infection duration, spore suspension of different species of Aspergillus and Fusarium already isolated from insects were used on nymphal stage of whitefly and data regarding duration of spore germination, penetration, colonization and infection was determined under control conditions. It was observed that spores of Aspergillus species germinate quickly as compare to Fusarium species. There was no significant difference in spore germination on species level. Penetration time of Aspergillus and Fusarium species vary and colonization and infection duration of Aspergillus species was less as compared to Fusarium species against nymphal stage of whitefly. In this study, it was observed that Aspergillus is more aggressive as compare to Fusarium species and also dependent on isolates of insect associated fungi. Further studies required on genetic level that makes entomopathogenic fungi more aggressive on different stages of infection process.