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<p><i>Anthonomus eugenii</i> (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a major pest of cultivated peppers (<i>Capsicum</i> spp., Solanales: Solanaceae) in the Americas, causing severe yield losses through fruit damage from both adult feeding and larval development. Conventional control relies on synthetic insecticides, yet resistance and non-target effects demand that alternative approaches are developed. Entomopathogenic fungi offer a promising biological control alternative due to their ability to penetrate the insect cuticle and to&#xa0;cause mortality and/or sublethal effects that reduce pest fitness. This study evaluated five fungal isolates, <i>Beauveria pseudobassiana</i> (Bp30), <i>B. bassiana</i> (Bb88) (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae), <i>Metarhizium pingshaense</i> (Mp140), and two isolates of <i>M. anisopliae</i> (Ma129 and ABNMa201) (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), against <i>A. eugenii</i> adults. Virulence assays revealed that fungal treatments caused significantly higher mortality than the control, ranging from 13 to 30%, with no significant differences amongst isolates. Single and double inoculations with Bp30 and ABNMa201 did not increase mortality beyond 40–60%, indicating limited impact of repeated exposure. Fecundity assays showed no significant effect of fungal inoculation on egg production. Instead, female longevity determined fecundity, with an average of ~ 30 eggs per female over a 15&#xa0;day period. Our results suggest that while the studied isolates are pathogenic to <i>A. eugenii</i>, their low virulence and lack of negative physiological effects on reproduction implicate the cuticle as a primary barrier to infection. Future research should focus on improving conidial delivery and penetration rather than searching for isolates that are more virulent.</p>

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Fungal treatments do not compromise survival or fecundity of the pest, Anthonomus eugenii (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): implications for pest management

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月20日

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  • Jesús Ernesto Guerra-Sánchez,
  • Esteban Rodríguez-Leyva,
  • Manuel Alejandro Tejeda-Reyes,
  • Ariel Wilbert Guzmán-Franco

摘要

Anthonomus eugenii (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a major pest of cultivated peppers (Capsicum spp., Solanales: Solanaceae) in the Americas, causing severe yield losses through fruit damage from both adult feeding and larval development. Conventional control relies on synthetic insecticides, yet resistance and non-target effects demand that alternative approaches are developed. Entomopathogenic fungi offer a promising biological control alternative due to their ability to penetrate the insect cuticle and to cause mortality and/or sublethal effects that reduce pest fitness. This study evaluated five fungal isolates, Beauveria pseudobassiana (Bp30), B. bassiana (Bb88) (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae), Metarhizium pingshaense (Mp140), and two isolates of M. anisopliae (Ma129 and ABNMa201) (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), against A. eugenii adults. Virulence assays revealed that fungal treatments caused significantly higher mortality than the control, ranging from 13 to 30%, with no significant differences amongst isolates. Single and double inoculations with Bp30 and ABNMa201 did not increase mortality beyond 40–60%, indicating limited impact of repeated exposure. Fecundity assays showed no significant effect of fungal inoculation on egg production. Instead, female longevity determined fecundity, with an average of ~ 30 eggs per female over a 15 day period. Our results suggest that while the studied isolates are pathogenic to A. eugenii, their low virulence and lack of negative physiological effects on reproduction implicate the cuticle as a primary barrier to infection. Future research should focus on improving conidial delivery and penetration rather than searching for isolates that are more virulent.