Analysis of the cuticle of two species of grain storage pest and interaction with germination of entomopathogenic fungi

This thesis compares the early stages in germination and infection of two entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana on the cuticle of two important pest of grain, the beetles Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica using scanning electronic microscopy. It is the first study to report the chemical composition of wing and elytra from these two grain beetles using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The thesis discusses the potential impact of the components of the cuticle on the observed patterns of germination and growth of the entomopathogenic fungi