Effect of seventeen pesticides on mycelial growth of Akanthomyces, Beauveria, Cordyceps and Purpureocillium strains.

Abstract

The effect of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides on mycelial growth of entomopathogenic fungi Akanthomyces muscarius, Beauveria bassiana, Cordyceps fumosorosea and Purpureocillium lilacinum were tested under laboratory conditions. Fungicides containing the active ingredients carboxin & thiram, dimethomorph & mancozeb, mancozeb & metalaxyl-M, boscalid & pyraclostrobin, mancozeb, metalaxyl-M & fludioxonil and herbicides with active ingredients pendimethalin, pethoxamid, chlorotoluron and pendimethalin & imazamox statistically significantly inhibited the mycelial growth of all tested fungi (20.4–100% and 14.9–100% inhibition). Insecticides did not significantly inhibit the mycelial growth of Akanthomyces and Purpureocillium strains but active ingredients tau-fluvalinate, pirimicarb and acetamiprid inhibited the mycelial growth of Beauveria strains (22.6–30% inhibition). The mycelial growth of Cordyceps strains was faster in the presence of insecticides than in controls.