SUSCEPTIBILITY OF RHYNCHOPHORUS PALMARUM TO THE ACTION OF METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE AND THE COMPATIBILITY OF THE ENTOMOPATHOGEN WITH AGROCHEMICALS USED IN THE BANANA CROP

ABSTRACT This study was aimed to screen the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae for the control of Rhynchophorus palmarum (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) adults and to evaluate the compatibility of agrochemicals used in this crop with the strain that caused the highest insect mortality. To this end, adult insects were immersed in suspensions of 6 strains at a concentration of 109 conidia.mL-1, and after 24 days the isolate IBCB 348 caused the highest mortality (87.5%) and was used in the compatibility test, using calculations by way of the T formula, with commercial insecticides, herbicides and fungicides used in the crop. Among the tested strains, IBCB 348 was the most efficient in the control of this pest, causing 87.5% of weevil mortality. None of the tested fungicides and herbicides were compatible with the pathogen. The insecticides Calypso, Dipterex 500 and Sevin 480 SC, at the lowest dose recommended by the manufacturer, were the only products classified as compatible with the strain IBCB 348 of M. anisopliae.