Coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) is one of the most important pests of coffee marketed in Cameroon and the world. This insect lives an endophytic life in the berries and remains very difficult to fight with the spraying of synthetic pesticides. This study aims at investigating the potential impact of two native strains of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemen (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) from Cameroon against the CBB. B. bassiana strains were isolated from rhizosphere strains of coffee farms. The efficiency tests were conducted on adult H. hampei. Five treatments of B.bassiana were used compared with Pyriforce (Chlorpyriphos-ethyl). Results indicate that, the B. bassiana strains were different in terms of their macromorphological characteristics. They were virulent against the CBB irrespective of the mode of application of spores directly to the borer as well as to the berries. These results clearly showed that the two isolates of B. bassiana, native to coffee growing areas in Cameroon, can be used as potential biological control agents against H. hampei and as alternatives to chemical insecticides in integrated pest management programmes for coffee.
How to cite this article:
Manga Essouma François, Ndo Eunice Golda Danièle, Voula Valteri Audrey, Mvondo Nganti Dorothée, Assena Laure Huguette and Ambang Zachée. 2021. Isolation of Beauveria bassiana (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) from the soils of coffee fields and insecticide activity against Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). Journal of Biopesticides, 14(2):141-153.
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