Effect of entomopathogenic fungi against invasive pestSpodoptera frugiperda(J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in maize

Ten indigenous entomofungal strains ofBeauveria bassiana,Metarhizium anisopliae, andM. rileyiwere evaluated against 2nd instar larvae of the maize fall armyworm (FAW)Spodptera frugiperda(J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in a laboratory bioassay. Among the ten strains tested,M. anisopliaeICAR-NBAIR Ma-35 caused 67.8% mortality, followed byB. bassianaICAR-NBAIR Bb-45 with 64.3%, and ICAR-NBAIR Bb-11 with 57.1% mortality. Rest of the isolates showed 10.7-28.6% mortality. ICAR-NBAIR Ma-35 showed LC(50)of 1.1 x 10(7)spores/ml and LT(50)at 1 x 10(8)spores/ml is 86.04 h and ICAR-NBAIR Bb-45 showed LC(50)of 1.9 x 10(7)spores/ml and LT(50)at 1 x 10(8)spores/ml is 88.30 h. Field evaluation with these two promising strains were conducted against maize fall armyworm for 2 years (2018 and 2019) at ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources experimental farm, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Field trial results indicated 68 and 69% reduction of FAW infestation and 55 and 62% increase in yield in the plots treated withM. anisopliaeICAR-NBAIR Ma-35/B. bassianaICAR-NBAIR Bb-45, respectively, during 2018. In 2019, 70 and 76% reduction of FAW infestation and 44 and 55% increase in yield were observed in the plots treated with these two entomofungal pathogens, respectively.