Insect pathogenic fungi in Hypothenemus hampei, Leucoptera coffeella and in the soil in coffe plantations in Central America: natural occurrence, management system and genetic diversity

Abstract

In this thesis, results on B. bassiana natural infection levels in H. hampei and L. coffella populations throughout a season during two years are therefore presented. This will help in suggesting good strategies for the use of B. bassiana in conservation and augmentative biological control of these two pest insects. To use insect pathogenic fungi effectively in different biological control strategies in coffe it is also important to obtain knowledge on the effect of farming system, climatic conditions and time on the occurrence of insect pathogenic fungi in the soil. Such studies are also presented in this thesis. Studies of the genetic diversity of insect pathogenic fungi are crucial to get a better understanding of the ecology and to maximize the role of indigenous insect pathogenic fungi in a conservation biological control strategy. In this thesis, the genetic diversity of B. bassiana obtained from different regions, host species and year of collection was therefore studie.