This document discusses the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, which infects over 200 species of insects. It is an entomopathogenic fungus that infects insect hosts by penetrating their exoskeleton and releasing toxic compounds, eventually killing the host. The fungus can be mass produced using various methods and formulations and is used as a biopesticide to control agricultural insect pests in an eco-friendly way. It poses no threat to humans or other animals. The document provides details on the taxonomy, life cycle, mass production methods, applications, and safety of M. anisopliae.

3.  Fungi represent a
diverse group of insect
pathogens.
 The insects attacked by
the fungus die shortly
after the fungus begins
to develop in the
haemocoel.

4.  Formerly known as Entomophthora anisopliae
(basionym).
 Ilya I. Mechnikov named it as it was originally isolated from
the beetle Anisoplia austriaca.
 These include many species of agricultural, medical and
veterinary importance.
 This entomopathogenic fungi infects over 200 insect pests
including termites, thrips, ticks, beetles, root weevils, flies,
gnats etc.
 It does not infect humans or other animals and hence
considered safe as an insecticide.

5.  In August 2007, scientists of the Indian Institute of Chemical
Technology concluded that in the of biodiesel production it is
used for the mass production of the enzyme lipase.
 Its use in the control of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes is
under investigation.

6.  Common thought of as soil saprophytes.
 Frequently found in disturbed habitats like agricultural
fields as compared to forest ecosystems (Meyling and
Eilenbe).
 Recent findings suggest that these fungi form
associations with plant roots in the rhizosphere (Hu and
St. Leger 2002)
 Survive better in that environment than in surrounding
potting soil over extended periods of time (Bruck 2005).

7.  Kingdom: Fungi
 Division: Ascomycota
 Class: Sordariomycetes
 Order: Hypocreales
 Family:Clavicipitaceae
 Genus:Metarhizium
 Species: anisopliae

8.  Binomial name
Metarhizium anisopliae
(Metchnikoff) Sorokin (1883)
 Synonyms
Entomophthora anisopliae
Metschn. (1879)
 One more species: Metarhizium flavoviridae

9.  It is a mitosporic fungus with asexual reproduction.
 Called as “Green Muscardine” due to
green colour of the spore.
 The colony of M. anisopliae appears white when young,
but as the conidia mature, the colour turns to dark green.
 Depending on the species and strain, spores color
varies from white to yellow to brown and green (Tanada
and Kaya 1993).
 The mass of spore chains becomes so dense and
coheres with each other to produce prismatic masses of

11. I. a) Asexual conidia come into contact with the insect
integument , germinate and grow a germ tube.
b) Forms appressorium and penetration peg which
pierces the integument and enters the heamocoel.
I. c) Production of hydrolytic enzymes including proteases,
lipases, chitinases, and mechanical pressure.
II. Blastospores, bud off ,penetrates, circulate in the insect
hemocoel and multiply, depleting host nutrients, produce
toxic compounds and kill the host.
III. After the host dies, the fungus will penetrate out of the
integument and grow conidiophores, on which aerial conidia
are produced and disseminated

12.  A large number of fungicides negatively impacted
conidial germination and mycelial growth in Petri dishes
 There was little effect in the rhizosphere habitated
following two applications of some
fungicides.
 The fungicides having largest
detrimental impact were
Captan and triflumizole.
 Bruck (2009)

13. The fungus can be mass produced in
 Conventional laboratory media
 Crushed grains, etc.

17. Coconut water (40 ml) in 375 ml side wise flat liquor bottles
with cotton plug
Sterilized in pressure cooker of 12L for 20 min at 15 psi.
Inoculate/inject with 1ml fungal spore suspension
Rested on flat surface for 2 days or till the surface of medium is
fully covered by the olive green sporulated fungus.
Whole culture is crushed thoroughly and used in the field.

18. Things we should take of
 Before the bottles inoculated, the bottles, needle, neck of
the bottles are sterilized using bunsen burner.
 The spore inculation should be carried out inside Laminar
Air Flow.
 From a single average size
coconut 5-6 bottles of cultures can
be made.

19. Carrot cut into small pieces (40g) + 15 ml of distilled water in
conical flask (250 ml)
Cotton is plugged, autoclaved(20min at 15 psi) allowed to cool
From mother culture in slant loopful quantities of M. anisopliae
spores are transferred aseptically.
The flasks are incubated at room temperature.
The spores can be harvested in a fortnight.

20.  Specially for rhinceros beetle, brown plant hopper, rice
leaf folder, sugarcane pyrilla.
 Gram and pigeon pea pod
borer
 white grub
 Potato cut worm
 Termites
 Teak defoliator
 Brown plant hopper
 Cabbage semilooper and
many lepidopterous pests.
 White flies, aphids, thrips,
mealy bugs , pyrilla etc.

21.  Wheat, paddy, maize, barley, sorghum, oat
 Black gram, red gram, green gram, bengal gram
 Cotton, Tobacco, sugarcane, sugar beat, potato.
 Brinjal, tomato, onion
 Cauliflower, Cabbage
 Banana
 Fruits, flowers &
medicinal plants.

22. Method of use
Field Application:
 Mix 1kg Metarhizium powder + 50kg of FYM (1acre)
 Moisten, cover with polythene for 15 days
 Turn FYM and moisten 3-4 times
 Ready to use after 15 days.

23. For spray:
 2.5 kg Metarhizium powder in 800-1000 liters of
water and spray per hectare.
 Repeat the spray at 10 days interval depending
upon the pest population.
 Under field conditions the larvae may be killed
within 7 - 8 days of the application.

24.  Insects are covered with powdery green spores.
 Called as “Green Muscle”
 Produces toxins like Destruxins A,B,C,D.
 Insect become mummified, shrunken and dried.

25.  Keep Metarhizium always from heat and
sunlight.
 Don't mix with chemical fertilizer or chemical
pesticides.
 Use double dose when seeds have been
treated with chemicals earlier
 For best response use with maximum organic
manure.
Precautions

26.  Effective against adults and larvae of many
insects.
 Effective against Lepidoptera pests.
 Eco-friendly and leaves no residues.
 Not toxic to humans, animals and birds.

28.  47 different commercially-available Metarhizium-based
products available.
 M. anisopliae:
 BIO 1020
 Bio-Blast
 M. flavoviridae:
 Green musle
 BioGreen
 M. acridum:
 locusts
 grasshoppers
 M. brunneum: Met52 (Novozyme Biologicals)

31.  S.P. Wraight, T.A. Ugine, M.E. Ramos, J.P. Sanderson