Table 1 Prescreening and biological efficiency index calculation of isolates based on spore germination, culture sporulation dates, and larval mortality of Galleria mellonella at 1 × 10⁸ spore ml⁻¹ in 10 days of post inoculation

AAUM46*

Metarhizium

Farm

92.66 ± 2.51^ab

12.83 ± 1.52^ab

93.33 ± 11.54^ab

81.15^b

AAUM32*

Metarhizium

Grazing

89.00 ± 2.64^bc

14.00 ± 1.32^c

100 ± 0.00^a

83.12^ab

AAUM30*

Metarhizium

Grazing

96.33 ± 1.52^a

12.33 ± 1.52^ab

98.00 ± 2.00^b

84.85^a

AAUM01

Metarhizium

Farm

94.00 ± 3.00^ab

14.33 ± 0.57^bc

87.66 ± 0.2.08^c

78.79^bc

AAUM17

Metarhizium

Farm

94.00 ± 2.00^ab

14.00 ± 2.00^c

83.00 ± 6.08^dc

76.47^c

AAUM28

Metarhizium

Grazing

90.00 ± 3.60^b

15.33 ± 1.52^cd

86.00 ± 1.45^b

76.47^c

AAUM22

Metarhizium

Farm

92.33 ± 3.51^ab

16.00 ± 2.00^d

86.66 ± 5.77^dc

77.65^c

AAUM10

Metarhizium

Farm

65.00 ± 48.50^ef

13.50 ± 2.29^b

88.33 ± 11.06^c

68.41^e

AAUM39*

Metarhizium

Grazing

91.66 ± 2.51^b

13.50 ± 3.50^ab

100 ± 0.00^a

84.11^a

AAUM20*

Metarhizium

Forest

92.33 ± 2.08^ab

11.66 ± 1.52^ab

98.33 ± 2.88^a

83.55^ab

AAUM42

Metarhizium

Forest

74.00 ± 11.13^d

14.00 ± 1.00^c

73.33 ± 5.77^f

64.23^ef

AAUM14

Metarhizium

Farm

69.66 ± 6.65^e

14.00 ± 2.00^c

93.00 ± 6.55^b

72.46^d

AAUM40*

Metarhizium

Farm

95.66 ± 3.21^a

12.83 ± 0.76^ab

100 ± 0.00^a

85.60^a

AAUM43*

Metarhizium

Grazing

92.00 ± 3.60^ab

12.63 ± 2.12^ab

93.00 ± 2.00^b

80.75^b

AAUM76*

Metarhizium

Forest

92.00 ± 6.08^ab

11.16 ± 0.76^ab

96.66 ± 5.77^ab

82.60^ab

AAUM12*

Metarhizium

Grazing

96.00 ± 3.60^a

12.00 ± 2.00^ab

100 ± 0.00^a

85.74^a

AAUM66

Metarhizium

Grazing

59.00 ± 8.88^ef

14.00 ± 1.73^c

86.66 ± 11.54^de

65.35^e

AAUM21*

Metarhizium

Grazing

91.66 ± 2.51^b

13.50 ± 3.12^b

93.33 ± 5.77^b

80.77^b

AAUM08

Metarhizium

Farm

76.66 ± 3.05^de

15.33 ± 0.57^d

53.33 ± 5.77^ghi

55.20^fgh

AAUM78*

Metarhizium

Grazing

90.33 ± 2.51^b

12.00 ± 1.00^ab

100 ± 0.00^a

83.64^a

AAUM04

Metarhizium

Farm

88.00 ± 2.00^cd

14.66 ± 1.15^c

90.00 ± 0.00^b

77.74^c

AAUM44

Metarhizium

Farm

80.66 ± 6.11^c

13.33 ± 1.52^b

80.00 ± 1.00^de

70.04^d

AAUM16

Metarhizium

Farm

86.66 ± 3.05^cd

13.00 ± 1.00^b

86.66 ± 11.54^de

75.59^c

AAUM80*

Metarhizium

Farm

91.66 ± 2.51^ab

13.66 ± 1.52^b

93.33 ± 5.77^b

80.77^b

AAUM06*

Metarhizium

Farm

91.33 ± 3.05^ab

13.20 ± 3.12^b

100 ± 0.00^a

83.99^a