| Summary: | The entomopathogenic fungus <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> (Bb) is used to control the red palm weevil (RPW) <i>Rhyncophorus ferrugineus</i> (Oliver). <i>Beuveria bassiana</i> can infect and kill all developmental stages of RPW. We found that a solid formulate of <i>B. bassiana</i> isolate 203 (Bb203; CBS 121097), obtained from naturally infected RPW adults, repels RPW females. Fungi, and entomopathogens in particular, can produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs from Bb203 were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). GC-MS identified more than 15 VOCs in <i>B. bassiana</i> not present in uninoculated (control) formulate. Both ethenyl benzene and benzothiazole <i>B. bassiana</i> VOCs can repel RPW females. Our findings suggest that <i>B. bassiana</i> and its VOCs can be used for sustainable management of RPW. They could act complementarily to avoid RPW infestation in palms.
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