Compatibility of pesticides with the acaropathogenic fungus, Fusarium semitectum

Abstract

Acaropathogenic microbes should be compatible with other control methods to be able to effectively utilize them against crop pests. This study aimed to assess whether different pesticides used in the chili ecosystem are compatible with Fusarium semitectum, a potential mycopathogen naturally infective to the active stages of the broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus/art's. A selection of pesticides easily available to farmers in local stores were prepared at 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 ppm. F. semitectum was inoculated on agar plates and the inhibitory effect on radial mycelial growth compared to a water-treated control was assessed Fungicides and insecticides were moderately inhibitory and equally toxic (on average, 41 and 37%, respectively) to F. semitectum, but dicofol, the one acaricide tested, was less toxic (27%). Out of nine fungicides carbendazim and benomyl were detrimental (54.5 and 53.3% inhibition). Conversely, copper oxychloride and sulphur were comparatively harmless to F. semitectum. Our results underline that compatibility of pesticides with the F. semitectum should be considered when selecting pesticides for use in addition to F. semitectum to control broad mites and mite pests in general.