2.5. Larval treatment
Suspensions of the most virulent fungal strains were prepared and serially diluted to give 107, 106, and 105 conidia mL 1. Groups of 25 larvae were immersed simultaneously for 10 s in the conidial suspension and each group placed on damp fil- ter paper in a white disposable plastic container. Control lar- vae were dipped in 0.01% Tween-80 solution. Larvae were transferred to the larval medium after 24 h. there were three replicates per treatment. All containers were incubated at 27 °C with photoperiod 12:12 (light:dark). Mortality was re- corded after treatment at intervals of 24 h until pupation oc- curred. Dead larva and pupa were held to monitor fungi- induced mortality. Externally sporulated cadavers were re- corded as dead due to fungal infection.