Efficacy of indigenous and commercial Simplicillium and Lecanicillium strains for controlling Hemileia vastatrix.

The aim of this research was to select an indigenous strain of Simplicillium with a high degree of virulence, as well as to assess the efficacy of commercial strains of mycoparasites for the control of H. vastatrix in Costa Rica. The study included eight strains of fungi, five of them were isolated from the coffee region of Turrialba, which were identified as Simplicillium lanosoniveum and three biopesticides recommended to control coffee rust in Costa Rica. The EC strain showed to be the most effective, by colonizing coffee rust pustules in a shorter time. This strain was compared with commercial formulations after two successive passes in PDA and after been stored on filter paper. The indigenous isolates showed a greater degree of specificity than the rest of the strains. This is the first report pointing out Simplicillium as the main natural enemy of H. vastatrix in Costa Rica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]