Myco-synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Metarhizium anisopliae against the rural malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies Giles (Diptera: Culicidae)

Each year, mosquito-borne diseases infect nearly 700 million people, resulting more than one million deaths. In this study, we proposed a Metarhizium anisopliae-based method of green synthesis of silver nanoparticles to control the rural malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies. Silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray diffraction. In acute toxicity experiments, larvae (I-IV instar) and pupae of A. culicifacies were exposed to M. anisopliae-synthesized silver nanoparticles (15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 ppm). LC50 of silver nanoparticles was 32.8 ppm (I), 39.8 ppm (II), 45.9 ppm (III), 51.9 (IV), and 60.0 ppm (pupa). Lower dosages of myco-synthesized silver nanoparticles have detrimental effects on larval and pupal development of A. culicifacies. EI50 was 14.9 ppm. Overall, this research highlighted that myco-synthesized silver nanoparticles can be proposed as effective tools for eco-friendly control of the rural malaria vector A. culicifacies.