[Effect of entomopathogenic fungus inoculum on the control of Corythycha ciliata Say adults, wintering on plane-trees of city groves].

Abstract

Within a three years research program, infection tests were carried on adults of Corythucha ciliata wintering on the plane-trees of same city avenues, inoculating entomopathogenic deuteromycetes Beauveria bassiana, Verticillium lecanii, Paecilomyces farinsus, microorganisms which are known to be naturally present in such an environment. Inoculated fungi were able to settle only where the trees were free from any kind of disturbance, while this failed to occur in the areas of intense car traffic. Number of treatments efficiently affected pathogens diffusion in the trees. The persistency of the parasites on the insects, even one year after the treatment, seems to indicate the possibility of their use for the limitation of C. ciliata.