Evaluation of biocontrollers entomopathogenic and antagonistic fungi for the management of eurhizococcus colombianus in Valle del Cauca, Colombia ; Evaluación de hongos entomopatógenos y antagonistas para el manejo de eurhizococcus colombianus en el Valle del Cauca, Colombia

Contextualization: The andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth) is one of the fruits of greater commercialization and importance in Colombia and in the entire Andean zone. This crop is affected by E. colombianus, an insect pest present in blackberry and other crops such as tree tomato, lulo, grape among others. Knowledge gap: The effectiveness of biocontrol agents in controlling E. colombianus under field conditions is not known. Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of the native biocontrol agents Metarhizium robertsii and Isaria fumosorosea using commercial products with two application methods. Methodology: The research was carried out at the Altamira Farm, in the municipality of Guacarí (Valle del Cauca), located at 2 990 meters above sea level. 120 plants were selected, and sample of individuals of E. colombianus was taken for reactivation of the fungi in the laboratory. Additionally, the initial population was evaluated, before applying the treatments, in an experimental design of subdivided plots with a 4 x 2 x 3 factorial arrangement. Later, evaluations were carried out every eight days from the month of the first application, and over a period of a month and a half. Results and conclusions: The average initial population of E. colombianus was about 31 individuals, at different stages, in the 120 plants. The most frequently found stages were the first and second, from the root neck to a depth of 80 to 120 cm. The treatment and method that had the greatest effectiveness on E. colombianus was Metarhizium robertsii applied with an injector, which caused an average of 78 % of dead individuals, followed by I. fumosorosea with an average of 75 %. In contrast, the M. robertsii treatment applied. With a pump was the one that presented the lowest average number of individuals, with a total of 17% of individuals killed by the fungi after 45 days. ; Contextualización: La mora de castilla (Rubus glaucus Benth) es una de las frutas de mayor comercialización e importancia en Colombia y en toda la zona Andina. Este ...