CHITINASE ENZYME ACTIVITY AND PATHOGENICITY OF LECANICILLIUM LECANII AGAINST MUSTARD APHID LIPAPHIS ERYSIMI (KALT.)

Abstract

Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimmerman) Zare and Gams is an entomopathogenic fungi used as an alternative biocontrol agent against crop pests. Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.) is an important pest of Brassica family. The present study evaluates the efficacy of three Lecanicillium lecanii isolates against the nymphs of Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.). Bioassay revealed nymphal mortality as 66.68, 62.23 and 42.50% of L. lecanii NIPHM, L. lecanii MTCC 956 and L. lecanii MTCC 2056, respectively at maximum concentration (@12 g/ l). Extracellular enzyme activity of fungal isolates when evaluated revealed variation in the level of enzyme secretion. The maximum chitinase and n-acetyl-β-D-hexosaminidase activity (0.48 and 0.41 U/ml) were observed in L. lecanii NIPHM on 6th day of incubation.