Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 July 2009
One exceptional instance of a mycosis, with epidemic character, in white grubs has been studied in Southern Rhodesia.
The hosts were the larvae of Anomala exitialis Pér. and Schizonycha profuga Pér., which are tobacco pests, the entomophagous fungi being Torrubiella sp. (most prevalent), Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. and Metarrhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin.
Soil with an abnormally high content of nitrogenous organic matter favours the breeding of the two insects but at the same time provides a suitable medium for the survival and development of a high degree of virulence in the cryptogamic pathogens.