Abstract:
The use of the synthetic pesticides for the control of agricultural
crop pests since 1940 resulted in many disadvantages. These drawbacks
include, mammalian toxicity, phytotoxicity to plants, insect resistance to
pesticides, disturbance of natural balance and pesticides residues in the
environment. These problems lead to the international search for more
effective and more safe alternatives for pest control. Accordingly, many
Biopesticides were chosen and investigated for their efficiency against
agricultural and medical pests.
In this study, the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metch) was
chosen to be applied in the present trials. This fungus has been widely
researched and applied against the desert locust, grasshoppers, termites
and other insects and the results are promising.
Mixture of the fungus (Myco-pesticide: Green Muscle) and
gasoline was applied topically, either by dipping or contact methods
against immature stages (larvae and pupae) of house fly M. domestica
under laboratory condition with the following concentrations 12.5% ,
25% and 50%. The results showed that all concentrations applied by the
two methods led to 100% mortality compared to untreated control.
When the pure fungus (culture) mixed with the cotton seed oil, in
five concentrations, 1.2 × 102, 1.2 × 103 , 1.2 × 104 1.2 × 105, 1.2 × 106
spores/ml, and applied by contact or as a baits against the larvae it
showed 20 – 30% mortality. The results also showed that the mixture of
the Mycopesticide (Green Muscle) with the gasoline had a repellent effect
against the adult of housefly, while the mixture of pure fungus (culture)
with cotton seed oil did not record any repellent effects.
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