Identification and virulence of local strains of entomopathogenic fungi of the fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the Niayes and Casamance regions of Senegal
Paper Details
Identification and virulence of local strains of entomopathogenic fungi of the fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the Niayes and Casamance regions of Senegal
Abstract
Fruit production faces numerous threats from Bactrocera dorsalis fruit fly bites, which affect quality, yield and exports, and above all, chemical control problems caused by fruit flies in orchards. The aim of this study was to collect fly and soil samples, isolate and identify local strains of entomopathogenic fungi of Bactrocera dorsalis, and test their virulence for use in biological control. This study was conducted in the Niayes and Casamance regions of Senegal, where fly and soil samples were collected, wrapped and stored. Once in the laboratory, after washing, the fly samples were seeded in Petri dishes containing PDA or SDA, while the soil samples were mixed with distilled water before being seeded in dishes using beads. These seeded dishes were incubated in an oven. Macroscopic and microscopic identification of the fungi found in the flies showed the presence of Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., Alternaria spp., Curvilaria spp., Pestalotia sp., and Colletotrichum sp. Other local strains were isolated from the soil, including Beltrania sp., Beauveria spp., Trichoderma spp., Rhysoctonia sp., Fusarium sp., and Aspergillus sp., with a predominance of Aspergillus followed by Fusarium spp. and Beauveria spp. To determine the diversity of fungi in the two areas, the Shannon index was calculated and showed that the Niayes area is much more diverse than Casamance, with 1.961 versus 0.562 for flies and 1.934 versus 1.238 for soil. Virulence tests showed that the isolated entomopathogenic fungi had no effect on pupal mortality after 5, 10, and 15 days of observation.
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Khady Fall*, Maodo Malick Cissé, Mamecor Faye, Toffene Diome, Mbacké Sembène, 2026. Identification and virulence of local strains of entomopathogenic fungi of the fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the Niayes and Casamance regions of Senegal. Int. J. Biosci., 28(6), 333-341.
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