The use of Beauveria bassiana for the control of the larger grain borer, Prostephanus truncatus, in stored maize: Semi-field trials in Ghana

Laboratory research in Ghana demonstrated the effectiveness of an isolate of Beauveria bassiana (IMI 389521) from the United Kingdom against the larger grain borer Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), a major pest of stored maize. The minimum effective concentration, following artificial infestation trials on maize, was between 10⁹ and 10¹⁰ cfu/kg maize. Before moving out to village-level control, a major requirement was to determine if the product could effect control in artificially infested maize held under real environmental conditions in several locations in Ghana. Therefore, this study investigated the efficacy of formulated conidia of B. bassiana, IMI 389521, at two concentrations (1 × 10⁹ and 3.16 × 10⁹ cfu/kg maize) to control P. truncatus on stored maize kernels under semi-field conditions in Ghana. Maize (‘Obatanpa’ cultivar) kernels were treated with the formulated B. bassiana product and stored in polypropylene woven bags in cribs in Southern Ghana. After 24 h, one hundred adults of P. truncatus were placed into each bag containing the treated maize. Mortality and the percent of weight loss of kernels were assessed every two weeks for three months. The semi-field trials revealed the possibility of successfully controlling adult P. truncatus on maize kernels treated with B. bassiana at 3.16 × 10⁹ cfu/kg maize. However, due to the minimal protection of kernels after four weeks, re-treating maize kernels after this period is recommended to ensure maximum protection during prolonged storage.