Susceptibility of Megalurothrips sjostedti developmental stages to Metarhizium anisopliae and the effects of infection on feeding, adult fecundity, egg fertility and longevity

The susceptibility of immature stages of the legume flower thrips, Megalurothrips sjostedti, to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, was investigated under laboratory conditions. The adult stage was found to be more susceptible to infection than the larval and pupal stages. Mortality at all stages was dose-dependent, with the highest concentration of 1×10⁸ conidia ml^–1 producing the highest mortality (26, 46 and 100% for larvae, pupae and adults, respectively) at 8 days post-inoculation. At the same concentration, daily pollen consumption was significantly reduced at 2 days after treatment in infected adults but more slowly in infected larvae. Fecundity, egg fertility and longevity in adults surviving infection as larvae were significantly reduced compared to the control.