Obtention and evaluation of pathogenicity of ultra violet resistant mutants in the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana

UV-light resistant mutants of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana were obtained and their pathogenicity and conidial production were evaluated. Two mutants were selected, which produced conidia at a lower rate than the wild strains, In terms of pathogenicity: one of them maintained the pathogenicity and other was less effective in causing the death of Diatraea saccharalis larvae. Since pathogenicity is a complex trait, these results may be attributed to pleiotropic effects of the gene(s) conferring resistance to UV-light: or to the accumulation of mutations that affect pathogenicity as the result of the various irradiations performed to obtain mutants.