Journal of Biological Control

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Evaluation of Fungal Pathogens for the Management of Mealybugs in Bt Cotton


Affiliations
1 Central Institute for Cotton Research, Regional Station, Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India
 

Three entomopathogenic fungi (Verticillium lecanii, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae) along with two standard insecticides (acephate and chlorpyriphos) were evaluated for their effectiveness in the field of Bunny Bt (Cry IAC) cotton neem oil + detergent (Nirma) powder and detergent powder alone during 2007-08&2008-09 against two mealybugs viz., Phenococcus solenopsis and Paracoccus marginatus. The results revealed that B. bassiana, V. lecanii and M. anisopliae brought out a reduction of 39.1, 30.9 and 28.2 per cent incidence and 69.0, 59.0 and 23.1 per cent population of mealybugs respectively, while, the insecticides acephate and chlorpyriphos brought out a reduction of 93.8 and 87.1 per cent incidence and 97.8 and 95.3 per cent population, respectively. Detergent powder brought out a reduction of 51.7 per cent incidence and 82.4 per cent population, while detergent powder + neem oil brought out a reduction of 20.9 and 36.1 per cent, respectively. Observation on the activity of predators revealed that B. bassiana, V. lecanii and M. anisopliae brought out a reduction of 61.3, 51.6, and 6.5 % coccinellids and 33.7, 15.2&22.8 % spiders as against 54.8 and 42.4 % respectively in the standard insecticide acephate. Treatments with neem oil+ detergent powder and detergent powder alone did not reduce coccinellid population, however, reduced spider population by 22.6&13.0 percent respectively. All the treatments recorded significantly higher yield over control during 2008 - 09 and the increase in yield over control ranged from 18.0 to 43.0 %.

Keywords

Mealybug, Phenococcus solenopsis, Paracoccus marginatus, Pathogenicity, Beauveria bassiana, Verticillium lecanii and Metarhizium anisopliae.
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  • Evaluation of Fungal Pathogens for the Management of Mealybugs in Bt Cotton

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Authors

T. Surulivelu
Central Institute for Cotton Research, Regional Station, Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India
J. Gulsar Banu
Central Institute for Cotton Research, Regional Station, Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India
T. Sonai Rajan
Central Institute for Cotton Research, Regional Station, Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India
B. Dharajothi
Central Institute for Cotton Research, Regional Station, Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India
M. Amutha
Central Institute for Cotton Research, Regional Station, Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract


Three entomopathogenic fungi (Verticillium lecanii, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae) along with two standard insecticides (acephate and chlorpyriphos) were evaluated for their effectiveness in the field of Bunny Bt (Cry IAC) cotton neem oil + detergent (Nirma) powder and detergent powder alone during 2007-08&2008-09 against two mealybugs viz., Phenococcus solenopsis and Paracoccus marginatus. The results revealed that B. bassiana, V. lecanii and M. anisopliae brought out a reduction of 39.1, 30.9 and 28.2 per cent incidence and 69.0, 59.0 and 23.1 per cent population of mealybugs respectively, while, the insecticides acephate and chlorpyriphos brought out a reduction of 93.8 and 87.1 per cent incidence and 97.8 and 95.3 per cent population, respectively. Detergent powder brought out a reduction of 51.7 per cent incidence and 82.4 per cent population, while detergent powder + neem oil brought out a reduction of 20.9 and 36.1 per cent, respectively. Observation on the activity of predators revealed that B. bassiana, V. lecanii and M. anisopliae brought out a reduction of 61.3, 51.6, and 6.5 % coccinellids and 33.7, 15.2&22.8 % spiders as against 54.8 and 42.4 % respectively in the standard insecticide acephate. Treatments with neem oil+ detergent powder and detergent powder alone did not reduce coccinellid population, however, reduced spider population by 22.6&13.0 percent respectively. All the treatments recorded significantly higher yield over control during 2008 - 09 and the increase in yield over control ranged from 18.0 to 43.0 %.

Keywords


Mealybug, Phenococcus solenopsis, Paracoccus marginatus, Pathogenicity, Beauveria bassiana, Verticillium lecanii and Metarhizium anisopliae.

References