Field efficacy of Myco-jaal, an oil based commercial formulation of Beauveria bassiana (DeuteromycotinarHyphomycetaceae) against mango inflorescence hopper, Idioscopus nitidulus (Walker).

摘要

Mango is an important subtropical fruit, with high commercial value in both national and export markets. Like other tree crops, mango is also attacked by several pests that directly or indirectly affect the mango production in all mango growing countries (Tandon and Verghese, 1985). The mango hoppers, Amritodus atkinsont (Lethierry), Idioscopus clypealis (Lethierry) 1. niveosparsus (Lethierry) and I. nitidulus (Walker), are serious pests of mango at flowering and fruiting stages and yield loss couldbe 80-100 per cent (Rahman and Kuldeep, 2007). Both nymphs and adults aggregate on the under side of leaves and suck the sap of tender shoots, young leaves and inflorescence. Heavy puncturing and continuous draining of the sap causes curling and drying of the infected tissue. The infested florets turn brown and dry up which adversely affects fruit setting. Hopper infestation also causes honey dew secretion resulting in sooty mould formation affecting photosynthesis and also stains the fruits which reduces market value (Rahman and Kuldeep, 2007). Presently only insecticidal control is available for management of mango hoppers. Considering the deleterious affect caused by chemicals to the beneficial organisms in mango ecosystem and the demand for organicproduction of mango there is a need to develop alternate, safe and eco-friendly management strategy for the control of mango hoppers. Natural occurrence of entomofungal pathogens against mango hopper have already been reported in India, (Srivastava andTandon, 1986, Gangavisalakshi et.al, 2010) but no information is available on potential of these fungal bioagents by their inundative field application. Present paper reports the efficacy of Myco-jaal, a commercial oil based formulation of Beauveria bassiana against I.nitidus under field condition.