VIRULENCE OF THE ENDOPHYTIC FUNGUS TRICHODERMA ASPERELLUM AGAINST LARVAE OF SPODOPTERA FRUGIPERDA J. E. SMITH (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE)

Spodoptera frugiperda JE Smith, known as the fall armyworm (FAW), is amajor pest of maize crops. This bug damages maize plant leaves, leadingto yield declines of up to 79.9%. An alternative approach to controlling S. frugiperda entails the use ofentomopathogenic fungi. Many entomopathogenicfungi are present, including Trichodermaasperellum, which resides endophytically withinplants. This study aims to evaluate the pathogenicity of T. asperellum incontrolling S. frugiperda larvae.Five isolates of T. asperellum (A116, PC21, S2D11, SD34, and AB2B3) were procured from various plant tissues.Two milliliters of conidia suspension, with a concentration of 10^8 conidia/ml, and sterile distilledwater as a control were supplied to S. frugiperda larvae. The measured variables encompassed themortality rate of S. frugiperda larvae, the percentage of pupae that matured, and the percentage ofadults that emerged. The results demonstrated that the endophytic fungus T. asperellum can eradicate S.frugiperda larvae. The mortality rate of S. frugiperda larvae ranged from 34.67% to 57.33%. Theutilization of T. asperellum on S. frugiperda led to a 44.00% reduction in pupae formation and a 36.00%reduction in adult formation. T. asperellum S2D11 is the most efficacious isolate for infecting S.frugiperda larvae.