Storability of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium anisopliae

Abstract

The present investigation on storability of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae was carried out at Biocontrol Laboratory, Agricultural Entomology Section, College of Agriculture, Dhule during Jan 2018 to Dec 2018. The pure culture of the entomopathogenic fungus M. anisopliae was maintained at Agricultural Entomology Section, College of Agriculture, Dhule on PDA slants.  The storability of the fungus M. anisopliae was studied at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 135, 150, 165 and 180 days after storage kept at ambient and freeze temperature. The CFU count was taken by serial dilution technique at 104, 105, 106, 107, 108 and 109 dilution 3 days after inoculation. At 15 day’s interval 1 gm sample was taken from both room and freeze temperature prepared samples of the fungus and the viability of the product was studied by serial dilution technique. The results clearly indicated that the viability of the product kept in ambient temperature was 120 days, while the viability of the product kept in freeze temperature was 165 days. Initial one month, the difference in CFU count among the samples kept at room and freeze temperature was less as compared to later stage of storage. The entomopathogenic fungus M. anisopliae can be stored safely up to 4 months at ambient temperature and maximum up to 5.5 months at freeze temperature.