Susceptibility of Megalurothrips sjostedti developmental stages to Metarhizium anisopliae and the effects of infection on feeding, adult fecundity, egg fertility and longevity

The susceptibility of immature stages of the legume flower thrips, Megaluro thrips sjostedti, to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, wa s investigated under laboratory conditions. The adult stage was found to be more susceptible to infection than the larval and pupal stages. Mortality at all stages was dose-dependent, with the highest concentration of 1 x 10( 8) conidia ml(-1) producing the highest mortality (26, 46 and 100% for larv ae, pupae and adults, respectively) at 8 days post-inoculation. At the same concentration, daily pollen consumption was significantly reduced at 2 day s after treatment in infected adults but more slowly in infected larvae. Fe cundity, egg fertility and longevity in adults surviving infection as larva e were significantly reduced compared to the control.