Potential of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae s.l. for control of red spider mite, Oligonychus coffeae Nietner on tea crop
2022
Deka, Bhabesh | Babu, Azariah | Pandey, Abhay K | Kumhar, Kishor Chand | Rajbongshi, Hirakjyoti | Dey, Pritam | Peter, Arulmarianathan John | Leo Daniel Amalraj, E. | Talluri, Venkateswara Rao
The present study evaluates the pathogenic efficacy of an entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae s.l. (=M. anisopliae) against the red spider mite, Oligonychus coffeae damaging tea plants. Laboratory studies revealed that M. anisopliae s.l. was pathogenic on O. coffeae and exhibited 78% mortality. Evaluation of formulated 5% aqueous suspension (AS) of M. anisopliae (1000 ml containing 2 × 107 conidia/ml in 400 L of water/ha) against O. coffeae through micro-plot study revealed a maximum of 68.2% reduction in mite’s population in sprayed plots, as compared to Fenpyroximate (5% EC), where a 67.5% reduction in mite’s population was recorded. Furthermore, large-scale field trials with aqueous suspension of entomopathogen revealed that 1000 and 1200 ml doses of M. anisopliae s.l. 5%AS each in 400 L of water/ha significantly reduced O. coffeae’s population in the tea gardens of Dooars and Darjeeling regions, India. Metarhizium anisopliae s.l. was more effective than standard acaricides and was non-pathogenic to the beneficial insects present in the tea gardens. Metarhizium anisopliae s.l. 5%AS had no phytotoxic effect on the tea leaves, with acceptable organoleptic attributes. Thus, M. anisopliae s.l. isolate can be commercialized as an alternative natural acaricide to reduce the load of synthetic acaricides in the tea crop.
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