Dry weather: A crucial constraint in the field efficacy of entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria Bassiana against Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Abstract

Field trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana against the two spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch on okra during the crop seasons 2010, 2011 and 2014 at Research Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, CCS HAU, Hisar. Significant reduction in T. urticae population was recorded during crop seasons 2010 and 2011 subjected to B. bassiana treatments over control (P= 0.05). However, during the crop season 2014, the fungal treatments were found to be ineffective in controlling the pest population. This may be attributed to the dry environmental conditions prevalent in 2014 in the study area pertaining to which the fungal spores failed to undergo sporulation, effective host invasion and mycosis.