CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Grasshoppers and locusts continue causing serious economic losses in agriculture worldwide. In Argentina, the economic importance of these insects has been recognized since the mid-nineteenth century, depending on the region considered and in relation to the progressive development of agriculture. Fungi are the most frequently found microorganisms parasitizing insects in nature, and most of the entomopathogenic fungi investigations have been focused on its development as biopesticides. In this study five new records of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin and two new records of Entomophaga grylli (Fresenius) Batko, are presented, extending the geographical distribution and the host range for these fungal species. With these seven new records, the total number of grasshopper entomopathogenic fungi cited for Argentina is raised from 22 to 29.