~ 316 ~  Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2015; 3(6): 316-320 E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 JEZS 2015; 3(6): 316-320 © 2015 JEZS Received: 07-10-2015 Accepted: 12-11-2015 Abdel Raheem MA Pests and Plant Protection Department, Agricultural & Biological Research Division, National Research Centre, 33rd ElBohouth St. – Dokki, Giza - Egypt. IA Ismail Pests and Plant Protection Department, Agricultural & Biological Research Division, National Research Centre, 33rd ElBohouth St. – Dokki, Giza - Egypt. RS Abdel Rahman Pests and Plant Protection Department, Agricultural & Biological Research Division, National Research Centre, 33rd ElBohouth St. – Dokki, Giza - Egypt. NA Farag Pests and Plant Protection Department, Agricultural & Biological Research Division, National Research Centre, 33rd ElBohouth St. – Dokki, Giza - Egypt. IE Abdel Rhman Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar Univ. Egypt. Correspondence Abdel-Raheem MA Assoc. Prof. Abdel-Raheem, M.A., Pests and Plant Protection Department, Agricultural & Biological Research Division, National Research Centre. 33 rd ElBohouth St. - Dokki, Giza, Egypt. Entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) As biological control agents on some stored product insects Abdel-Raheem MA, IA Ismail, RS Abdel Rahman, NA Farag, IE Abdel Rhman Abstract The present work was evaluation of the efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae on Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus oryzae and Oryzaephilus surinamensis. Each insect species was treated with formulated fungi B. bassiana and M. anisopliae at the concentrations of 0.12 x 10 6 conidia /g, 0.22 x 10 6 conidia /g, 0.32 x 10 6 conidia / g, and 0.42 x 10 6 conidia /g. M. anisopliae was more effective against tested insects than B. bassiana. Four concentrations of B. bassiana were tested against R. dominica, S. oryzae and O. surinamensis. LC50 were 1.2 x 10 5 conidia / g, 1.6 x 10 5 conidia / g and 1.4 x 10 5 conidia / g, respectively. The same concentrations M. anisopliae were tested against R. dominica, S. oryzae and O. surinamensis. LC50 were 2.7 x 10 5 conidia / g, 1.3 x 10 5 conidia / g, and 3.5 x 10 5 conidia / g, respectively. Keywords: Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Stored Product, Control. 1. Introduction Almost, all stored grains are subjected to be attacked by pests causing damage to stored [1] . It has been estimated that during storage 10 – 25 % of the worldwide grain crops are lost yearly mostly because of pests infestation. Losses caused by insects include not only the direct feeding damage resulting in loss of weight, but they also severely reduce nutrients, lowering percentage of seeds germination, reducing grade and lowering their marketing value due to accumulation of waste, webbing and insect cadavers. The favorable climatic conditions and relatively poor storage system in Egypt are in favor of increase and development of these pests, resulting in considerable crop losses. The rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), the lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) the sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.)(Coleoptera: Silvanidae), and cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculates F. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) are among the most destructive pests of stored grain and seeds in the tropics [2] . Use of pesticides is one of the means for preventing some loss during storage. It causes problem such as; insecticide resistance, chemical residues in food stuffs, increasing cost, and environmental pollution [3] . Therefore, it is necessary to find out safer alternative control strategies such as use of microbial control agents against stored –product insect pests. Using fungi and selected insecticides can potentially reduce the use of chemical insecticides and subsequently their residues and side effects in agriculture. Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae are naturally occurring entomopathogenic fungi with a wide host range [4] . Several studies have shown the effectiveness of B. bassiana and M. anisopliae for controlling the stored products pests such as; S. oryzae, R. dominica, A. desobtectus, C. maculates and T. castaneum [5-21] . B. bassiana and M. anisopliae were isolated from different insect hosts in Egypt [22, 23] . However, a variety of factors may determine or influence the host range and specificity of fungal pathogens. These include fungal strain, hosts physiological state, nutrition, defense mechanism, cuticle and epicuticular microorganisms [24] . Used entomopathogenic fungi to control Tuta absoluta and Cassida vittata Vill. The pathogen B. bassiana gave the highest effect on larval phase of T. absoluta during the evaluation time and similar to the effect of M. anisopliae followed by the effect of Verticillium lecanii [24, 25] . The aim of the present work was evaluation of the efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungi, B. bassiana and M. anisopliae on Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus oryzae and Oryzaephilus surinamensis.