ABSTRACT
Ninety-three products used for control of insects and diseases in vegetable and ornamental crops in Brazil were evaluated for their toxic effect against the fungus Beauveria bassiana. Vegetative growth and spore yields were measured on PDA medium mixed with commercial concentrations of the products. There was large variability in the toxicity of different classes of the products. Three spreader/ stickers were very toxic to the entomopathogen. Among the 36 fungicides tested, only 3 were compatible with B. bassiana: propamocarb hydrochloride, sulfur and kasugamycin. A greater proportion of insecticides and mitecides were compatible with the fungus. Among 54 insecticides or mitecides, 24 were compatible with B. bassiana including those with the following active igredients: abamectin, acefato, acetamiprid, betacyflutrin, bifentrina, ciromazina, deltametrina, diafentiuron, diflubenzuron, dimetoato, fenpropatrina, fenpyroximate, fenvalerate, imidacloprid, metamidof-s, propargite, and tebufenozide etriclorfon. There was large variability in the toxicity of products within a chemical group and products containing the same active ingredient. There was no correlation between the colony diameter and conidial yield, because some products affected vegetative growth while others affected conidial production. Studies on the toxicity of pest-control products against natural enemies provide practical results that can be used immediately. Also, these studies open new reseach possibilities that could complement or allow for the use of these two control stategies in a program of integrated pest management.
KEY WORDS:
Compatibility; integrated pest management; entomopathogenic fungi; biological control.