Metarhizium anisopliae for controlling Rhipicephalus microplus ticks under field conditions

Abstract

Metarril SP Organic is a product based on the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, which was developed for controlling agricultural pests. The present study evaluated the effect of Metarril SP Organic plus 10% mineral oil, for controlling Rhipicephalus microplus under field conditions. Three groups were formed: Control group, which received no treatment; Oil control group, which was bathed only with water, Tween 80 and mineral oil; and Metarril group, bathed in the oil-based formulation Metarril SP Organic. Two treatments per group were performed and to verify the effect of the treatments, all R. microplus ticks between 4.5 and 8.0mm in length on the left side of the cattle were counted on days +7, +14 and +21 after each treatment, and a sample of engorged females was collected for evaluation of biological parameters. The Metarril SP Organic oil formulation showed efficacy ranging from 8.53 to 90.53%. The average efficacy of the oil-based formulation of Metarril SP Organic was 75.09 and 46.59% compared with the groups Control and Oil control, respectively. There were no significant changes in biological parameters of engorged R. microplus females collected from animals. Although there was no significant difference in the amount of ticks between the Oil control and Metarril groups, it is believed that the association of mineral oil with Metarril SP Organic product is effective in R. microplus tick control in field. Thus, this association has potential to be used in strategic control programs of cattle tick.

Ultrastructural and Cytotoxic Effects of Metarhizium robertsii Infection on Rhipicephalus microplus Hemocytes

“…These fungi are also considered endophytes and rhizosphere competent (Hu et al, 2014; Vega, 2018). All R. microplus life stages have been shown to be sensitive to entomopathogenic fungal infection (Alonso-Díaz et al, 2007; Leemon and Jonsson, 2008), either in vitro assays (Perinotto et al, 2017), associated with chemical acaricides (Bahiense et al, 2008; Webster et al, 2015), or in vivo tests using available commercial products (Camargo et al, 2016).…”

Métodos alternativos e sustentáveis de controle do carrapato bovino Rhipicephalus microplus

“…Dentre eles, destacam-se Metarhizium anisopliae e Beauveria bassiana, encontrados naturalmente em várias espécies de carrapatos e em diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento da praga (FERNANDES;BITTENCOURT, 2008;SAMISH;GINSBERG;GLAZER, 2008). Essas duas espécies fúngicas estão entre as mais bem estudadas e caracterizadas, sendo inclusive utilizadas em programas de controle biológico (ANGELO et al, 2012;CAMARGO et al, 2016).…”

Projected economic losses due to vector and vector-borne parasitic diseases in livestock of India and its significance in implementing the concept of integrated practices for vector management

“… Pheromones used by ticks for aggregation and mating can be artificially used in combination with acaricides [ 94 ]. Use of oil formulation of funguses: The use of oil formulations containing these entomopathogens may increase the conidia stability and extend their persistence in the field protecting fungi against heat stress, desiccation, and particularly ultraviolet irradiation [ 95 - 99 ]. …”