BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF TICKS (Boophilus spp.) WITH DIFFERENT STRAINS OF Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin IN CATTLE

Abstract

With the objective of analyzing four strains of the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschincoff) Sorokin used to control ticks of the genus Boophilus spp., two tick strains were selected for their assessment during their adult phase on parasitized calves. A completely randomized design with six treatments and ten repetitions was used. In this phase, the PLH and CH 93-3 strains showed the greatest effectiveness, so they were evaluated as adult ticks on calves that had been previously parasitized; during the in vivo test, a completely randomized design was used, with four treatments (the two strains selected, one chemical compound and a water-based placebo), and eight repetitions. The results showed that the two strains evaluated presented an effectiveness of 50% with regard to the chemical product.