The Study on the Role of Entomopathogenic Fungal Endophytes in Controling the Cocoa Pod Borer (Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen)) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) on Cocoa Plant

Abstract

Fungal endophytes are quite common in nature and some of them had been shown to have adverse effects against insects. The study aimed to isolate and identify of fungal endophytes from healthy pods of cocoa plant and to investigate their effects against the egg of cocoa pod borer (Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen)) in the field as well as their endophytism on cocoa pods had been carried out. The results indicated that there were five fungal endophyte genera i.e. Trichoderma sp., Fusarium sp., Beauveria sp., Aspergillus sp., and one non-identified (mycelia sterilia) were found. All isolated endophytic fungus produced a negative effect on the survival of cocoa pod borer eggs but the greater effect were produced by Beauveria and Aspergillus treated in liquid form with the mean of 94 and 96 % of egg mortality respectively. Trichoderma also produced a relatively high of 84 and 89 % egg mortality for powder and liquid respectively. Except Beauveria, Trichoderma, Fusarium, and Aspergillus was found to penetrate in cocoa pod after two weeks of spraying. Beauveria, Trichoderma, Aspergillus are endophytic fungus which provide potential biological control for cocoa pod borer.