Mass rearing and nano-formulation of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae to control Glyphodes pyloalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

The current study is aimed toward mass rearing native isolates of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae on different natural media and determine the obtained spores as a nano-chitosan formulation against Glyphodes pyloalis. Different isolates of B. bassiana and M. anisopliae showed significant differences in sporulation on various culture media, including pasta waste, rice husk, and carrot waste. The two isolates of B. bassiana, AM-118 and BBRR1, showed the highest sporulation on pasta waste, while BBLN1 showed the highest sporulation on both pasta and carrot wastes. MAAI, as an isolate of M. anisopliae, showed the highest sporulation on carrot waste, while MASA had the highest sporulation on rice husk. These isolates achieved 100% mortality at concentrations of 104 to 109 spores/mL by reaching the mean lethal concentration and time. The nano-chitosan formulation of the entomopathogenic fungi significantly affected the number of total and differentiated hemocyte counts three days after treatment. All transaminases showed no significant differences in the larvae treated with the nano-chitosan solution at different time intervals, while their activity increased in the BBRR1 and MASA-treated larvae after three days. The activity of acid- and alkaline phosphatases significantly increased in the BBRR1 and MASA-treated larvae after three days compared to the other two intervals. Similarly, the activity of lactate dehydrogenase showed no statistical differences in the control larvae at different time intervals, while the enzyme activity increased in the BBRR1 and MASA-treated larvae after three and four days, respectively. The activity of catalase significantly increased in the fungal-treated larvae at both time intervals. Peroxidase activity increased at days three and four after treatment, while superoxide dismutase activity increased at day three after treatment.