Effect of Trichoderma harzianum Rifai (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) on the Biological Traits of Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Mediated by Pepper Plant

Objective: It has been reported that the colonization of plant roots by the beneficial microorganism Trichoderma harzianum triggers the plant’s immune system, providing defense against herbivorous insects. In this study, the effects of T. harzianum on the biological traits of Myzus persicae on pepper plants were investigated under controlled conditions (25±2°C, 65±5 RH, and a 16:8 light: dark). Materials and Methods: The raw data obtained from daily counts of Myzus persicae feeding on pepper plants whose roots were colonized by Trichoderma harzianum were subjected to life table analysis. Results: According to the analysis results, the intrinsic rate of increase (r) was 0.3148 d⁻¹ in the control and 0.3304 d⁻¹ in the T. harzianum treatment, while the finite rate of increase (λ) was 1.3701 d⁻¹ and 1.3916 d⁻¹, respectively. The net reproductive rate (R₀) was determined as 68.26 offspring/individual in the control and 65.65 offspring/individual in the T. harzianum treatment. The difference in population doubling time between the control (2.2 days) and T. harzianum treatment (2.1 days) was found to be statistically insignificant. Conclusion: As a result of the study, it was determined that there was no effect of T. harzianum colonization on the biological traits of M. persicae feeding on Demre-type pepper plants.