Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
The importance of entomopathogenic fungi in the control of stored-product pests has increased significantly due to their potential as sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides. This laboratory study investigated the efficacy of four entomopathogenic fungal strains against the third instar larvae of the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella). Bioassays were conducted using two conidial concentrations (1 × 107 and 1 × 108 conidia mL−1) and two temperatures (20 and 25 °C), and lethal time values (LT50 and LT90) were determined. LT50 values ranged from 2.18 to 3.62 days. The highest virulence was observed with the Metarhizium anisopliae isolate (TR-55-19) at 25 °C and 1 × 107 conidia mL−1, yielding an LT50 of 2.18 days. In addition, at the higher concentration (1 × 108 conidia mL−1), isolates of Beauveria bassiana (TR-D-1) and M. anisopliae (TR-55-19) were the most virulent at 25 °C. The efficacy of all entomopathogens generally increased with rising concentration and temperature. High larval mortality was achieved across all treatments, with B. bassiana and M. anisopliae causing near-complete mortality by the fourth day. These findings suggest that these isolates represent promising candidates for the biological control of P. interpunctella.