However, the number of conidia
dropped from 7.2 × 10
5
to 4.1 × 10
5
conidia after 2 and 8 h post-exposure, respectively.
The number of conidia picked up by a single fungus-
3.8 × 10
5
and 1.0 × 10
6
in the three fruit fly species, resulting in 100% mortality 56 days
post-exposure. When fungus- ies) were allowed to
mate with a single fly varied between
1.0 × 10
5
and 2.5 × 10
5
, result ing in a mortalit y of 83100% in C. capitata, 7285% in
C. cosyra and 7193% in C. fasciventris 1015 days post-inoculation. There was
an effect of fungal infection on female egg laying in the three species of fruit flies as
control flies laid more eggs than fungus-treated females. The percentage reduction in
fecundity in flies infected with M. anisopliae was 82, 73 and 37% in C. capitata,
C. fasciventris and C. cosyra, respectively. The results are discussed with regard to
application in autodissemination techniques.