First natural occurrence of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals. Criv.) Vuill. on Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar, 1824) (Curculionidae, Coleoptera) in an agroforestry system in the Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract

The natural occurrence of the fungus Beauveria bassiana is an indicator of environmental balance. When the agroforestry system naturally presents this entomopathogenic fungus on the banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus, a pest insect in the banana crops, it reinforces the beneficial effects of this agroecosystem. Thus, this work reports the first natural occurrence of B. bassiana on C. sordidus for the agroforestry system and the Cerrado biome. The natural occurrence of this parasitic relationship indicates that the agroforestry system may favor the fungal occurrence and spread.