Darwish, Y.A., Mannaa, S.H., Abd El-Latif, A.O., & Salman, A.M.A. 2004 Efficiency of the entomopathogenic fungus, Aspergilus flavus L., in reducing population of the red-striped soft scale insects, Pulvinaria tenuivalvata (Newstead) inhabiting leaves of the sugarcane plants in Upper Egypt. . The 4th Scientific Conference of Agricultural Sciences, Assiut, December, 2004 2004: 39-42.

Notes: The present study was carried out to throw light upon the possibility of using A. flavus, as a biocontrol agent, against the population of the soft scale insect, P. tenuivalvata infesting sugarcane leaves. Data obtained indicate that the fungus was successfully reduced the population of the pest at any concentration tested as compared with that recorded before application (zero time). The fungus was able to cause 33.07 to 48.26% reduction within the population of its host (P. tenuivalvata) after one week of spraying, under field conditions. The reduction in the pest's population ranged from 87.67 to 96.30%, when the experiment was continued for two weeks more. The results show also that all fungal treatments caused significant reduction in the population of this pest. The reduction percentage was increased with the increase of spore concentrations. The fungus suspension with higher concentration (108 spore/ml) was found to be more effective in reducing scale population after three weeks (96.30%) as compared with the other tested concentrations. The mean percentages of reduction through 21 days after application were accomplished to 61.01%, 70.79% and 86.65% for lower (104 spores/ml), moderate (106 spores/ml) and higher concentrations 108 spores/ml) tested, respectively.