SEPARATION OF METARHIZIUM-ANISOPLIAE STRAINS BY TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENTGERMINATION RATES

The germination rates of 122 isolates from 16 Metarhizium anisopliae v ar. anisopliae strains were determined over a range of temperatures (2 .5-37 degrees C), The germination rates and the germination temperatur e ranges of these strains differed (P > 0.05). Canonical variate analy sis highlighted that the cold-active strains (those with isolates that germinated at 5 degrees) were distinctly different from the other str ains. The other strains could be separated into two groups, one in whi ch the strains germinated at 37 degrees (heat-active strains) and anot her in which the strains germinated at neither 5 degrees nor 37 degree s (meso-thermoactive). This study shows that in the development of Met arhizium myco-insecticides the germination rates and ranges of isolate s can be matched to environmental temperatures.