POTENSI METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE SEBAGAI PENGENDALI ORYCTES RHINOCEROS

Oryctes rhinoceros is one of the important pests on coconut. The role of Metarhizium anisopliae brought by Oryctes beetles has not been known. The purpose of this study was to determine the potency of M. anisopliae as control agents of O. rhinoceros. M. anisopliae isolate used was obtained from the Laboratory of Biological Control, Department of Forestry and Plantation of Yogyakarta Province. M. anisopliae isolate was culture and developed in corn medium. The average of the conidium density of M. anisopliae applied is 3.375 X 10 10 conidium/ml. The Oryctes beetles used in this study from the result of laboratorial rearing. Initially, the Oryctes rhinoceros was taken from field in Karanganyar, Central Java. This study used sawdust-infected M. anisopliae inoculum metode. The results showed that the average conidium density of M. anisopliae from the sawdust of the dead larva was 3.7629 x 10 9 conidium/ml, from the sawdust of dead pupa was 2.1429 x 10 9 conidium/ml and from the sawdust of dead adult was 5.0471 x 10 9 conidium/ml, while the average conidium density of M. anisopliae from the sawdust of live adult was 0.4243 x 10 9 conidium/ml. The average conidium density of M. anisopliae on the death body of Oryctes beetles was higher (84,75 x 10 6 conidium/ml) than the average conidium density of M. anisopliae on the living Oryctes beetles (6,35 x 10 6 conidium/ml). M. anisopliae conidium carried on Oryctes beetles can be infected and cause the death of Oryctes rhinoceros larva