Effects of three endophytic entomopathogens on sweet sorghum and on the larvae of the stalk borer Sesamia nonagrioides

摘要: Various endophytic fungi of native plants and crops are important entomopathogens. The objective this study was to investigate the entomopathogenic action Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, Metarhizium robertsii (Metchnikoff) Sorokin, Isaria fumosorosea (Wize) Brown & Smith (all Ascomycota: Hypocreales) against larvae Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefebvre) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) artificially introduced into Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench) (Poaceae) under natural environmental conditions. is an economically crop cultivated for grain, fiber, forage, lately biofuel, S. nonagrioides its main pest in Mediterranean areas. Young sorghum were inoculated with entomopathogens by spraying field. Plant water status, chlorophyll concentration, photosynthesis, transpiration not affected. Thirty days after endophyte establishment, infested fourth instars S. nonagrioides. endophytes prevented 50–70% from entering stalks. Larval mortality 70–100% tunnel lengths reduced 60–87%. infestation resulted electron transport capacity net photosynthetic rate, which ameliorated presence I. fumosorosea reversed B. bassiana M. robertsii. growth unaffected all treatments during experimental period. M. robertsii can protect sweet damage induced conditions without affecting plant physiology growth.