INSECTICIDAL EFFECT OF SOME BACTERIA ON BRUCHUS DENTIPES BAUDI (COLEOPTERA: BRUCHIDAE)

In this study, a total of 10 bacterial strains (2 Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kenyae, 2 Bacillus cereus, 1 Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, 1 Bacillus atrophaeus, 1 Bacillus pumilus, 1 Bacillus globisporus, 1 Brevibacillus brevis and 1 Alcaligenes denitrificans subsp. xylosoxydans), isolated from different insect species in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey, were identified on the basis of fatty acid methyl ester analysis and carbon source utilization profiles by using Microbial Identification System (MIS) and/or Biolog MicroPlate Systems (BIOLOG). Their insecticidal effects were tested on adults of Bruchus dentipes Baudi in vitro on Petri dishes. Seven days after the applications, all of the tested strains showed more or less insecticidal activity against this pest. The highest activity was obtained from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kenyae strain FDP8 causing 76.6% mortality, and its activity was not statistically different from that of the positive control (Kingbo). The mortality rates of the other bacterial applications were lower than that of the positive control, but not that of the negative control. In conclusion, Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kenyae strain FDP8 is a good candidate for use as a biological control agent against this economically important pest.