Endophytic seed with Beauveria bassiana and liquid compost: Control of pest stem borer of corn, Ostrinia furnacalis and increase yield resilient in marginal land?

Abstract

Corn is an important crop after rice. Tompobulu sub-district, Maros, South Sulawesi has a wide marginal land expected to contribute to corn development. One of main pests is Ostrinia furnacalis. Beauveria bassiana Vuill is an effective biological control agent as it can be associated with part of plants as endophyte. The study focused on the effect of seed submersion mixed with liquid compost into marginal land. Corn seeds were planted in each plot with a depth of 5 cm and each hole was planted with 1 seed with a spacing of 75 x 20 cm. The fungal isolation was obtained from inoculum cadaver larvae of O. furnacalis purified on initial agar medium and propagated on corn medium. The trials were designed with a randomized block design (RBD) consisting of 6 trials (Bisi-2 seeds soaked in aquades (A); Srikandi seeds soaked in aquades (B); Bisi-2 seeds soaked in B. bassiana 106 spore/ml suspension for 24 hours (C); Srikandi seeds soaked in B. bassiana suspension 106 spores/ml for 24 hours (D); Seeds of Bisi-2 soaked in suspension B. bassiana 106 spores/ml for 24 hours + liquid fertilizer (E); and Srikandi seeds soaked in B. bassiana 106 spore/ml suspension for 24 hours + liquid fertilizer (F). The highest population of larvae and pupae of O. furnacalis in treatment B was 8.35 and the lowest population in treatment E was 3.05. There were no larvae infected by B. bassiana fungus in the treatment of seeds soaked with distilled water. However, larvae infected with B. bassiana fungus was found in the treatment of seeds soaked in B. bassiana suspension 106 spores/ml or added with watering liquid fertilizer. The highest weight of seed weight in Bisi-2 seeds soaked with suspension B. bassiana 106 spores/ml.