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Abstract

Bactrocera zonata is the destructive pest of peach, mango, and banana by causing significant economic losses. It reduces fruit quality which directly causes decline in export of these economical fruits. Many management strategies were carried to suppress the population of this invasive pest. The use of chemical insecticides in the orchard for control of B. zonata is restricted because insecticides cause several complications in fruit health and makes fruits unfit for human consumption. Due these drawbacks of chemical control, Biological control strategies are preferred for better management of B. zonata. Entomopathogenic fungi are potential bio-control agent against many insect pests. The EPF (Beauveria bassiana) acts as potent bio-control agent. B. bassiana enriched with three cuticle degrading enzymes including protease, lipases and chitinases. These enzymes have ability to hydrolyze and degrade the epicuticle and break the antifungal proteins linkage present in that cuticle for facilitating the spore penetration. The current study emphasizes the activity of cuticle degrading enzymes (CDE) (protease, chitinase, lipases) of B. bassiana for the management of B. zonata.

Article History

Received: Jul 04, 2023; Accepted: Jun 12, 2024; Published: March 30, 2025


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