Feasibility and applications of entomopathogenic fungi in soybean cultivation with a focus on sustainability

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the pathogenicity of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. on Chrysodeixis includens larvae in soybean cultivation. The biological insecticide Boveril® (B. bassiana isolate PL63, 50 g kg−1) was tested against Chrysodeixis includens larvae, with applications at 9, 6, and 3 days before fungicide application (BA) and at 3, 6, and 9 days after fungicide application (AA). The fungicides used were Fox Xpro®, Sphere Max®, Orkestra®, and Vessarya®. A randomized block design was used, with 13 treatments and three replications: untreated control without application (T1); Turbo® pyrethroid insecticide (T2); Boveril® (positive BA control) (T3); Boveril® + Fox Xpro® BA (T4); Boveril® + Sphere Max® BA (T5); Boveril® + Orkestra® BA (T6); Boveril® + Vessarya® BA (T7); Turbo® AA (T8); Boveril® (positive AA control) (T9); Boveril® + Fox Xpro® AA (T10); Boveril® + Sphere Max® AA (T11); Boveril® + Orkestra® AA (T12); and Boveril® + Vessarya® AA (T13). The number of live C. includens larvae per treatment was recorded every 7 days. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared using the Scott-Knott test at p ≤ 0.05. No negative effects of the fungicides or application intervals on the pathogenicity of B. bassiana against C. includens were detected, as the mean numbers of live larvae were not higher than those in the untreated control.