A novel bacterial pathogen (Enterobacter sp.) isolated from the leaf roller, Caloptilia theivora of tea of Darjeeling foothills

Abstract

Enterobacter sp. was isolated from the diseased and dead caterpillars of the tea leaf roller (Caloptilia theivora) from the Darjeeling foothill region. When the vegetative form of the bacterium was applied via food, mortality of C. theivora showed an LC50 value at 363.1 μg/ml (bacterial wt./vol. of water) with fiducial limits 363.25 and 362.94 μg/ml respectively. The LT50 values for C. theivora were 6 days for 100 μg/ml, 5.96 days for 300 μg/ml, 5.81 days for 500 μg/ml, 4.96 days for 750 μg/ml and 4.61 days for 1,000 μg/ml concentrations. The finding would enable one to contemplate development of a microbial pesticide using this novel Enterobacter sp. DD01 for control of the leaf rolling pest.