MURINE SAFETY OF 2 SPECIES OF ENTOMOGENOUS FUNGI, CORDYCEPS-MILITARIS (FRIES) LINK AND PAECILOMYCES-FUMOSO-ROSEUS (WIZE) BROWN AND SMITH

The safety of two species of entomogenous fungi, Cordyceps militaris (FRIES) LINK and Paecilomyces fumoso-roseus (WIZE) BROWN and SMITH was tested on laboratory mice. Acute oral dosages of 4.9 X 108 spores/mouse for C. militaris and 5.54 X 108 spores/mouse for P. fumosoroseus were administered for a one week experimental period. No recoveries of the target organisms were recorded from any of the animals tested and there were no significant differences in terms of body weight, food and water consumption and blood counts. The safety of these two species of fungi on murine tissue is thereby established. © 1979, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.