Resumen
- The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin) and the olive pathogens Verticillium dahliae, Phytophthora megasperma and Phytophthora inundata are major worldwide limiting factors for olive tree production. Entomopathogenic fungi, such as Metarhizium spp. and Beauveriaspp., are suitable for olive fly control by either targeting adults or pupariating larvae and puparia in the soil beneath the tree canopy. Such soil treatments could have an additional impact on other communities of microorganisms present in the soil, such as soil borne olive pathogens. The present work explores the possible dual biocontrol of both olive pests and diseases with entomopathogenic fungi. Twelve indigenous isolates of Beauveria bassiana, Beauveria pseudobassiana, Beauveria varroae and two isolates of Metarhizium brunneumfrom olive crops (soil and phylloplane) were evaluated in soil treatments against medfly (Ceratitis capitata Wied.) pre imaginals. There were significant differences among the isolates in the total percentage of non viable puparia and the total the puparia and adults showing fungal outgrowth, with percentages ranging from 27.5% to 82.5%, which highlights the potential of soil treatments with entomopathogenic fungi not only to reduce the target pre imaginals but also the adults emerging from them, therefore contributing to the overall reduction of the next adult generation.