Field evaluation of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi against maize stem borer (Chilo partellus) (Crambidae: Lepidoptera)

Abstract

The present study was carried out to assess the field efficacy of endophytic isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Bb-5a, Bb-23 and Bb-45) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Ma-35) against maize stem borer (Chilo partellus Swinoe) during kharif seasons of 2015 and 2016 at ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR), Attur Farm, Bengaluru, Karnataka. All the tested isolates showed suppression of maize stem borer damage during both seasons. Pooled data indicated that lesser dead hearts (9.5-12.71%), stem tunnelling (3.98-4.36 cm/plant) and exit holes (2.59-2.79/plant) in the treated plants compared to untreated control which showed 21.38% dead hearts, 8.01 cm/plant of stem tunnelling and 6.99 exit holes/plant. Among the four isolates tested, Bb-5a isolate of B. bassiana and Ma-35 isolate of M. anisopliae showed significantly superior effect in lowering the incidence of dead hearts (9.50 and 12.71%), stem tunnelling (3.98 and 4.36 cm/plant) and exit holes (2.59 and 2.79/plant) with higher yields of 72 and 70.0 tonnes/ha respectively.