Susceptibility of Ephestia cautella ( Walk.) to entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium lecanii (Zimm.)

The study conducted in the laboratory of Biology department – College of Science – University of wasit, aimed to evaluate the efficacy of spores suspension concentrations of Verticillium lecanii (Zimm.) against (eggs , larvae , pupae and adults) of moth Ephestia cautella (Walk.) by direct application to insect at ( 25 ± 1 °C and 65 ± 5% R.h. and photoperiod 14 L:10 D h(.The results showed that all fungal suspension concentrations (103,105,107) spore/ml affected on different stages of insect after ( 2 ,5 , 10) day of the treatment compared with control treatment. The laboratory results revealed that the all concentrations of spores suspension of V. lecanii affect the mortality of eggs of moth after 2 day of the treatment and the percentage of mortality were 100%, and shown that the percentage mortality of larval stages and pupae were 100% when they were treated for 5 day at107spore/ml followed by the another treatments in concentrations of 105,103 spore/ml after 10 day of the treatment were 100%. On the other hand, bioassays conducted to evaluate the effect of direct exposure of adults to the concentrations(103,105,107) spore/ml and it revealed that all adults ( males and females) were killed after 10 day of the treatment and the highest percentage of mortality in males and females was100% and the LC50 values of males were 6.2 x104 and females 6.5x105 spore / ml. The results of this study were revealed the success and effectiveness of using the Verticillium lecanii fungus suspension at (103,105,107) spore/ml as a pathogen in the control of moth Ephestia cautella laboratory.