NATURAL OCCURRENCE OF ENTOMOGENOUS FUNGI AND ITS PATHOGENICITY TO INSECTS OF NORTH EAST INDIA

摘要

Six fungal species were found associated with 14 different insects' species of the order Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera. Pathogenicity test, confirms their pathogenic relationship with a varying degree of infectivity. Thepathogenic fungus were characterized and identified as Metarrhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana, Aschersonia aleyrodis, Nomuraea rileyi, Cordyceps unilateralism and Aspergillus spp. Exploitation of these entomopathogenic fungi may act as significantfactors in long lasting, stable ecosystems, where they exert a steady (enzootic) control of arthopode population.