ISOLATION OF BEAUVERIA BASSIANA (BALS.) FROM THE EGYPTIAN ALFALFA WEEVIL, HYPERA BRUNNEIPENNIS (BOHEMAN) AND ITS HABITAT IN EGYPT

R. EL-SUFTY, H.A. BORAEI AND Sh. ELGREMI*
Dept. of Economic Entomology
* Dept. of Agricultural Botany (Microbiology)
Fac. Agric., Kafr El-Sheikh, Tanta Univ., Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt

ABSTRACT

Densities of the entomogenous fungus, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) from soil under clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.), eucalyptus tree-bark, clover plants and field population of Hypera brunneipennis (Boheman) adults were determined using a dilution-plate method. Samples were collected in three different localities at Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate in 1993. Viable B. bassiana conidia existed in up to 47.5% of the soil samples and reached an average of 1119.4±35 1.22 conidia/g dry soil and in 67.7% of eucalyptus tree-bark samples and averaged 2357±736.7 comdia/100 cm2. Lower densities were found on 12.1-21.8% of clover plant samples and in 25.9-43.8% of H. brunneipennis adults collected from clover fields.

Key Words: Beauveria bassiana, Hypera brunneipennis, Trifolium alexandrinum, Soil, Eucalyptus tree-bark.