Effect of Temperature and Medium Composition on Growth of Metarhizium Anisopliae, Entomopathogenic Fungi of Sugarcane White Grubs

Abstract

The right selection of production technique and media with appropriate nutrient for a mass production of entomopathogenic fungi plays important role in long-term production of the fungi as natural agents. Fungal media that fulfills the necessary nutrient for fungi to grow are preferable. Study on effect of medium composition on growth of entomopathogenic fungi M. anisopliae was carried out at Entomology and Phytopathology Laboratories of Indonesian Sweetener and Fiber Crops Research Institute (ISFCRI) from January to November 2016. The objective of the study was to find out the suitable composition of medium for M. anisopliae. The study was testing for biological characters, namely in vitro growth rate (horizontal and vertical growth, surface area) of M. anisopliae on four different compositions of medium and two different temperature as followed: (1) Potato dextrose agar (PDA) (2) Potato dextrose agar + yeast (PDAY) (3) Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA), (4) Sabouraud dextrose agar + yeast extract (SDAY), (5) Potato Sucrose Agar , (6) Potato Sucrose Agar + yeast extract, and each medium growth on two different temperature (23 ^oC and 27 ^oC). All treatments were designed in randomized complete blok design (RCBD) with five replicates. Parameters observed were the growth rate of M.anisopliae and conidia production. The maximum absolute growth rates among the medium ranged from 55.6 mm to 84 mm. The PDA medium with temperature 27 ^oC was found significantly superior over the other entire medium tested.