DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjavs.2026.v13i08.001

Pages: 138-144

This research study evaluated the biological efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium spp. and Beauveria bassiana, applied individually and in a biological consortium, for the microbiological control of the rice bug (Oebalus insularis). The study was conducted in two phases: an in vitro phase at the biopesticide laboratory of the National Agrarian University and a validation phase on commercial plots in the community of Ochomogo, Rivas, Nicaragua. The consortium mixture (Metarhizium + Beauveria) achieved 100% mortality and 100% parasitism in the specimens, outperforming the individual applications of Metarhizium spp. (98%) and B. bassiana (92%). Consistent with these results, field evaluations demonstrated that the biological consortium induced the greatest population suppression of O. insularis, reducing its density by 93%, compared to reductions of 85% and 79% obtained with the individual formulations. These findings demonstrate that the use of fungal consortia constitutes a highly efficient and safe biotechnological alternative for safeguarding the productivity, profitability, and safety of rice grain in Nicaraguan agricultural systems.