This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of two species of fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae on the eggs of the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus at constant (27 ± 1° C and > 80% RH) and variable (25 ± 5° C and > 60% RH), temperatures and humidities. Eggs of R. sanguineus were immersed in four concentrations (10(8), 10(7), 10(6), 10(5) conidia/ml) of two isolated of B. bassiana (Bb 986 and Bb 747) and three isolated of M. anisopliae ( Ma 959, Ma E9 and Ma 319). The incubation and hatch periods of all treated eggs and controls were statistically not significant (P> 0.05). Otherwi- se, the percentage of hatch of larvae in all treated eggs was inversely proportional to the concentration of conidia/ml. The percentage of hatch ranged from 0 to 26.66% for the 10(8) concentration and from 6.66 to 100% for the 10(5) concentration. The percentage of eclosion of eggs maintened at variable temperatures and humiditis were lower as compared with eggs maintened at 27 ± l° C and > 80% RH (P< 0.05). The DL 50 and 90 for inhibicion of eclosion of larvae were also lower at variable temperatures and humidities (P<0.05).
Rhipicephalus sanguineus; Beauveria bassiana; Metarhizium anisopliae; entomopathogenic fungi; microbial control
