Combined Effects of Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and Insecticide Mixtures on Biological Parameters of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin in mixtures with six different insecticides separately against Musca domestica (L). Preliminary experiments were conducted to determine the mortality rates caused by the application of fungal inoculums and different doses of insecticides separately on laboratory reared M. domestica populations. Later, these fungal inoculums and insecticides in mixtures were applied on adults of M. domestica using the bait method. Flies showed concentration/dose dependent response and insecticides i.e. acetamiprid, emamectin benzoate, imidacloprid and lufenuron showed higher mortality in combination with insect pathogenic fungi than expected with significantly synergistic interactions. The effects of insect pathogenic fungi and insecticides mixtures were assessed on the biological parameters i.e., longevity, fecundity, egg hatching, larval duration, percent pupation, pupal weight, pupal duration, adult emergence and sex ratio of surviving M. domestica populations. The results showed significant effects of pathogenic fungi and insecticides mixtures on all parameters (P<0.05). As a result of application of fungi and insecticide mixtures, a significant decrease in longevity, fecundity, egg hatching, percent pupation, pupal weight and adult emergence was observed, while larval duration and pupal period were prolonged. The entomopathogenic fungi integrated along with insecticides i.e., acetamiprid, emamectin benzoate, imidacloprid and lufenuron could be a viable option for establishing an integrated pest management program for managing populations of M. domestica.