FUSARIUM-SOLANI INVADER OF THE EGGS OF THE INSECT PANSTRONGYLUS-GENICULATUS IN A VIVARIUM

A strain of Fusarium solani sensu Snyder & Hansen invaded the eggs of the insect Panstrongylus genicalatus in a vivarium. None of the invade d eggs hatched. To establish experimentally the pathogenicity of this Fusarium species against the eggs of P. geniculatus, the fungus and th e eggs were incubated together under different relative humidities and temperatures. At 64% relative humidity and 26 degrees C, the fungus g rew well colonizing and penetrating all of the chorions. Three embryos died and were also colonized by F. solani. Only 4 nymphs hatched and survived to day 20. It is concluded that the isolate of F. solani was capable of colonizing and invading the chorion of the eggs under certa in humidity and temperature conditions and cause the death of the embr yos.