Extracellular enzyme activity of entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae and their pathogenicity potential as a bio-control agent against whitefly pests, Bemisia tabaci and Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to assess the enzymatic activity and pathogenicity potential of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae against whiteflies in Ethiopia. RESULTS: The data showed that Beauveria bassiana AAUMB-29, AAUMFB-77, and AAUEB-59 generated the highest chitinase (EI = 3.41), lipase (EI = 4.45), and protease activities (EI = 5.44) respectively. The pathogenicity study of isolates on whitefly nymphs and adults indicated significant variation (P < 0.05) with mortality ranging from 71.67 to 98.33% and 60 to 100% against Bemisia tabaci and Trialeurodes vaporariorum nymphs respectively. The mortality of adults was between 58 and 94.27% against B. tabaci and 59.03 to 95.37% against T.vaporariorum. The result also showed that AAUMB-29, AAUMFB-77, and AAUDM-43 were the most virulent with LC(50) values of 2.7 × 10(4), 5.3 × 10(4), and 5.4 × 10(4) conidia/ml against nymphs of B. tabaci, and with LC(50) values 6.8 × 10(4), 8.2 × 10(4), and 7.2 × 10(4) conidia/ml against nymphs of T. vaporariorum, respectively. The B. bassiana AAUMB-29, B. bassiana AAUMFB-77, and M. anisopliae AAUDM-43 induced the highest whitefly mortality than other isolates. These isolates can be recommended for further tests under field conditions to fully realize their potential as effective biocontrol agents against whitefly pests in tomato. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13104-022-06004-4.