Metarhizium primarily kills pests through parasitism and is widely applied to the following key crops:
1. Coffee
- Target Pest: Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus hampei).
- Function: Metarhizium is the most critical biological control method for organic coffee cultivation, often used in conjunction with pheromone traps.
2. Sugar Cane
- Target Pest: Spittlebugs (Mion pest).
- Scale: Metarhizium is used in large-scale sugarcane plantations as a substitute for chemical insecticides, offering long-lasting effects without inducing resistance.
3. Bananas and Plantains
- Target Pest: Banana Weevil.
- Application: Applied via spraying or injection to target larvae and adults in the soil, protecting the root system.
4. Pastures and Row Crops
- Target Pest: Locusts, Grasshoppers, and various Hemiptera (bugs).
- Feature: Environmentally friendly; it does not harm livestock in the pastures.
5. Vegetables and Flowers — Export-Oriented
- Target Pest: Thrips, Whiteflies, and soil-dwelling pests (White grubs/scarab larvae).
- Advantage: Meets the “zero residue” requirements for exporting to European and American markets.
Core Advantages of Metarhizium
- Broad-Spectrum Insecticide: Pathogenic to over 200 species of insects.
- Long-Lasting Effect: Strong colonization ability in the soil, enabling secondary infection through “insect-to-insect” transmission.
- Resistance Management: Used in rotation with chemical pesticides to effectively delay the development of pest resistance to conventional treatments.
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