Isolation, morphological characterization, and screening a virulence of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium robertsii as bioagents

Background: Entomopathogenic fungi exists naturally in plants as an asymptote and has the potential to reduce population of insect pests through indirect interactions. This study was conducted detect characterize endophytic Beauveria bassiana Metarhizium robertsii from rhizosphere soil tomato their virulence effect on Galleria melonella. Methods: From 40 fields, three seven robertsii isolates were identified using galleria bait method. All morphologically characterized by colony color, shape, surface texture. Isolates with highest percentages germination, conidial yield, radial growth selected, pathogenicity evaluated second instar larvae melonella under laboratory conditions. Results: In this study, showed white color aseptate hyphae, whereas robertsii dark green light septate hyphal structures. Maximum spore production length obtained by Beauveria isolate APPRC-27 2.67x107 spores ml-1 3.24 µm, respectively. Colony rates ranged from 1.73 mm day-1. The results revealed that mortality rate (100%) K-61 K-102 at a concentration 1x108 conidial 7 days post-inoculation. lowest registered RST-11. Conclusions: In present isolates produced most had germination virulent Galleria mellonella second larvae. Therefore, entomopathogenic fungi, robertsii, are promising bioagents for control pests.