Biocontrol of Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) with Metarhizium brunneum and its Extracts

The susceptibility of preimaginal and adult olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin) (Diptera: Tephritidae), to a strain of the mitosporic ascomycete Metarhizium brunneum (Petch) (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and the insecticidal activity of its crude extract to olive fruit fly adults were investigated. Strain EAMb 09/01-Su caused 60% mortality to B. oleae adults, with average survival time (AST) of 8.8 d. In soil treatments against pupariating third-instar larvae, preimaginal B. oleae mortality reached 82.3%, whereas preimaginal mortality targeting puparia was 33.3%. The crude extract of EAMb 09/01-Su strain caused 80.0% adult mortality when administered per os, with AST of 27.7 h. The crude extract was demonstrated to be quite thermostable and photoresistant. These results indicate that M. brunneum EAMb 09/01-Su strain and its crude extract show potential to be used in an integrated pest management olive fruit fly management strategy targeting both adults and preimaginals.