Biocontrol potentiality of Beauveria bassiana Balsamo (Vuillemin) against Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) under controlled conditions

Abstract

Eight different isolates of Beauveria bassiana Balsamo (Vuillemin) were evaluated for their efficacy or biocontrol potentiality against Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) under controlled conditions at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. The results of the present studies revealed that all the eight isolates irrespective of their original host were pathogenic to C. partellus . The virulence of the isolates was increased with increase in spore concentration. As compared to other isolates, the native isolate of B. bassiana , PAU Bb and Bb 4668 caused higher mean mortality of C. partellus (68.75 and 56.25 %) at the concentration of 1 × 10 10 spores/ml. These isolates were 56.49 and 7.17 times more pathogenic than the commercially available isolate of B. bassiana . Under screen house conditions, the efficacy of B. bassiana isolates, against C. partellus was comparatively lower than Decis 2.8 EC deltamethrin. However, the application of B. bassiana resulted in lower incidence of C. partellus than infested control.