Ovicidal activity of Paecilomyces lilacinus on Moniezia sp. eggs

The ovicidal activity of Paecilomyces lilacinus was evaluated on Moniezia sp. eggs. Eggs of Moniezia sp. were incubated on plates with 2% agar-water inoculated with grown fungal isolates and a control treatment without fungus. After 5, 10 and 15 days post-inoculation, the eggs were removed and classified according to the following parameters: effect type 1, lytic effect without morphological damage to eggshells; effect type 2, lytic effect with morphological change in embryos and eggshells; and effect type 3, lytic effect with morphological change in embryos and eggshells, with hyphal penetration and internal colonization of eggs. Paecilomyces lilacinus showed percentages for ovicidal activity (P < 0.01), mainly type 3 effect, of 19, 20 and 23% on eggs of Moniezia sp., after 5, 10 and 15 days post-inoculation, respectively. Therefore P. lilacinus can be considered as a potential biological control agent for this cestode.