Insecticidal Potential Assessment Of Metarhizium Anisopliae Coated Zinc Nitrate Nanoparticles Against Cabbage Aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) Mortality

Fazeela  Zarin; Muhammad  Asif; Iram  Yaseen; Wajiha  Fatima; Farah

doi:10.54219/spmbc.04.01.2025.216

Authors

Fazeela Zarin Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan Author
Muhammad Asif Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan Author
Iram Yaseen Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan Author
Wajiha Fatima Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan Author
Farah Department of Entomology, FA&E, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur 61000, Pakistan Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54219/spmbc.04.01.2025.216

Keywords:

Cabbage aphid, Metarhizium anisopliae, Pathogens, Nanoparticles, Zn (NO3)2, ZnONPs, Trisodium citrate

Abstract

Aphid infestations pose a serious threat to agriculture, urging the need for eco-friendly pest control alternatives. This Current study focused on an innovative solution by combining Metarhizium anisopliae, an entomopathogenic fungus, with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) to combat cabbage aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae). Using the leaf dip method under laboratory conditions, ZnONPs were biosynthesized with fungal mediation and tested at concentrations of 0.75%, 1%, and 1.25% over a 7-day period. Results showed that the combined treatment significantly outperformed individual applications, with a maximum aphid mortality rate of 91.4% at 1.25% concentration after seven days. This synergistic effect demonstrates the potential of integrating nanotechnology with biological control in pest management. This is the first study to confirm the insecticidal efficacy of M. anisopliae-mediated ZnONPs against cabbage aphids, offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly addition to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies.