RT Journal
T1 EFFICACY OF Cordyceps fumosorosea AND Silico-Sec® AGAINST STORED PRODUCT PESTS: IMPACT ON MORTALITY, FECUNDITY, MYCOSIS, AND SPORULATION
A1 Muhamad Yasin
A1 Waqas Wakil
A1 Mirza Abdul Qayyum
A1 Misbah Ashraf
A1 Abdulrahman S. Aldawood
A1 Mubasher Hussain
A1 Hafiz Muhammad Bilal Yousuf
A1 Areej Mahfooz
JF Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences
JO JAPS
SN 1018-7081
VO 36
IS 3
SP 729
OP 740
YR 2026
FD 2026/05/05
DO DOI https://doi.org/10.36899/JAPS.2026.3.0060
AB <p>Stored grain insect pests threaten global food security by reducing the quality and quantity of grain, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to chemical insecticides. In current laboratory&nbsp;<em>tests, entomopathogenic fungi,</em><em>Cordyceps&nbsp;fumosorosea</em><em>, and a diatomaceous earth (DE) formulation, Silico-Sec<sup>&reg;</sup>, were tested against the adult stages of Liposcelis paeta, Cryptolestes ferrugineus</em><em>, Rhyzopertha dominica</em><em>, and Tribolium castaneum&nbsp;</em>using a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications<em>.</em><em>Diatomaceous earth</em>&nbsp;was applied at a concentration of 200 ppm, while&nbsp;<em>C. fumosorosea</em>&nbsp;was introduced at 1&times;10⁶ and 1&times;10⁸ conidia kg<sup>-1</sup>&nbsp;of wheat, either individually or in integrated manners. After 21 days of exposure, the highest mortality in all insect species was observed in T<sub>1</sub>&nbsp;(<em>L. paeta</em>: 69.53%,&nbsp;<em>C. ferrugineus</em>: 56.76%,&nbsp;<em>R. dominica</em>: 51.58%, and&nbsp;<em>T. castaneum</em>: 43.90%), followed by T<sub>3</sub>&nbsp;and T<sub>2</sub>&nbsp;in individual treatments. In combined treatments, T<sub>5</sub>&nbsp;resulted in the highest mortality (<em>L. paeta</em>: 100.0%,&nbsp;<em>C. ferrugineus</em>: 95.12%,&nbsp;<em>R. dominica</em>: 92.47%, and&nbsp;<em>T. castaneum</em>: 83.65%). The lowest LT<sub>50</sub>&nbsp;and LT<sub>90</sub>&nbsp;values were recorded for&nbsp;<em>L. paeta</em>, indicating their higher susceptibility, while the&nbsp;<em>T. castaneum</em>&nbsp;exhibited the highest resistance towards all the treatments. Maximum progeny emergence was recorded in T<sub>2</sub>&nbsp;(<em>L. paeta</em>: 44.33%;&nbsp;<em>C. ferrugineus</em>: 49.44%;&nbsp;<em>R. dominica</em>: 54.88%; and&nbsp;<em>T. castaneum</em>: 61.44%) compared to the control treatment. On the other hand, the highest mycosis (T<sub>2</sub>: 87.21%; T<sub>3</sub>: 77.32%; T<sub>4</sub>: 55.20%; and T<sub>5</sub>: 41.10%) and sporogenesis (T<sub>2</sub>: 185.22; T<sub>3</sub>: 167.67; T<sub>4</sub>: 152.22; and T<sub>5</sub>: 140.67 spores) were recorded in&nbsp;<em>L. paeta</em>. The results indicated that&nbsp;<em>C. fumosorosea</em>&nbsp;and Silico-Sec<sup>&reg;</sup> can be used as effective grain protectants and provide significant control when used alone or in combination against major storage insect pests. Their exceptional mode of action qualifies them as an efficient and viable solution, reflecting their importance as critical aspects in IPM interventions in the preservation of stored grains.</p>  <p>&nbsp;</p>
K1 Cordyceps fumosorosea, Silico-Sec®, Progeny emergence, Mycosis, Sporogenesis
PB Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum
LK https://thejaps.org.pk/AbstractView.aspx?mid=2025-JAPS-360