[Compatibility of two fungal biocontrol agents conidia with commercial chemical acaricides].

In this paper, the biological compatibility of fungal biocontrol agents Beauveria bassiana and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus conidia with 10 commercial chemical acaricides were assayed, based on the conidial germination rates in nutritional liquid and on SDAY plate. The results showed that nutritional liquid was more available than SDAY plate in the assay. So far as the 24 h conidial viability concerned, there were significant differences among the test acaricides with the concentrations of recommended for field spray and 5 and 10 fold dilutions, as well as between the two fungal agents. Since acaricides azocyclotin, liuyangmycin, dicofol and avermectin had strong inhibitory effects on the 24 h germination rate of both fungal agents conidia, their combined application with fungal agents was unsuitable for mite control. However, the combined application of pyridaben, propargite, chlorpyrifos, hexythiazox or amitraz with either B. bassiana or P. fumosoroseus was practical, because of their short-term compatibility. When the mixtures of oil-based B. bassiana formulation with the three concentrations of pyridaben, propargite and chlorpyrifos were stored at 4 degrees C or at ambient temperature for 12 months, none of the three chemicals was considered to be good enough for a combined formulation due to the great variability in long-term compatibility. Nevertheless, chlorpyrifos exhibited an encouraging long-term compatibility with B. bassiana, because its low concentration in the fungal formulation did not affect the conidial viability during a 6.5-month period of storage at ambient temperature. When stored at 4 degrees C in dark, the B. bassiana formulation containing low or medium concentration of chlorpyrifos retained the conidial viability of > 90% for up to 12 months.