Beauveria bassiana strains selection for biological control of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coffee Berry Borer) is one of the most important coffee pests. Its control is carried out mainly using synthetic chemical products, which contaminate the environment, food and farmers. The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana is a natural enemy of coffee berry borer and presents potential for biological control. With the objective to select strains of B. bassiana for the management of H. hampei, the virulence of 61 strains, from diverse hosts and geographic regions, were tested. The selection was carried out in two phases: in the first phase 11 strains, with confirmed mortality above 60%, were selected. In the second phase, for the 11 preselected strains, we determined: LC50, sporulation rate (confirmed mortality/total mortality) and conidia production on H. hampei cadavers. The CG425 strain presented the greater total and confirmed mortality, highest sporulation rate and CL50 2.5 x 10(6) conidia/ml and CB102 strain, presented highest conidia production on insects, 11.6 x 10(6) conidia/insect. These isolates present height potential to be used in biological control programs of coffee berry borer with B. bassiana.