Isolation of fungi from houseflies in poultry farms

摘要

Dead adult housefiles collected from poultry manure in eight poultry farms revealed the presence of five species of fungi on their bodies. The isolated fungi were identified as Aspergillus sp., Penicilium sp., Cladosporium sp., entomopathogenic fungi,Metarhizium sp., on houseflies is recorded for the first time in India. Fly control is a concern throughout poultry and livestock farming (Axtell 1986). Recent surveys have indicated the importance of fly nuisance in poultry houses (Harikrishanan and Pormudurai, 2007). One of the most commonly adopted biological approaches to solve the fly problem is to encourage the development of the flies' natural enemies which are generally present in the manure. Biological control through the use of entomopathogenic fungi is an important component of Integrated Pest Management. Fungi are considered to be natural pathogens of house flies and some of these fungi are reported to be present naturally on the bodies of adult houseflies. Fungal pathogens such as Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana and Enthomopthora muscae are reported to decimate housefly populations. Hence, an attempt was made to isolate fungi that are naturally present in houseflies at Namakkal.