Entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (bals-criv.) Vuill. as a promising agent for the raspberry cane midge Resseliella theobaldi (Barnes) biocontrol

Red raspberry Rubus idaeus L. is a widespread crop including Eurasian continent. This berry crop is often damaged by the dangerous pest, the raspberry cane midge Resselliella theobaldi (Barnes). This insect pest commonly destroys 30-80 % of raspberry canes and decreases berry yield 5-6-fold. Chemical insecticides predominate in raspberry plant protection against the pest. However, the trend of recent years lays in replacement of chemicals for ecologically safe biological agents, especially for soft fruit plant protection. The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals-Criv.) Vuill. is a well-known agent for biocontrol of Diptera insects, including the cane midge. In this paper for the first time we have used a Siberian isolate of B. bassiana as a biological agent for regulation of Siberian population of this dangerous pest of the red raspberry. The aim of the research was to demonstrate capability of Siberian B. bassiana strain to suppress the number of raspberry cane midge in the laboratory and in the field conditions for two red raspberry cultivars...