Performance of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae against Pyrilla (Pyrilla perpusilla) in sugarcane

Abstract

Sugarcane plant hopper (Pyrilla perpusilla Walker) is a most destructive sucking pest of sugarcane in Chhattisgarh and it’s appearing sporadically on sugarcane though out the sugarcane growing areas of this state. It is responsible for low cane yield and low sugar recovery and causes quantitative and qualitative losses in sugarcane and sugar production. In the recent years, it’s appeared in severe form and become a major problem of sugarcane in this region due to heavy infestation on sugarcane. Therefore, present investigation was carried on management of sugarcane Pyrilla (Pyrilla perpusilla) with Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae. Results indicated that the most effective treatment was Metarhizium anisopliae Kawardha isolate @ 25%which showed highest mortality in adults and nymphs population at 15 days after 1st spray, 15 days after 2nd spray followed by M. anisopliae Bilaspur isolate @ 25% during 2015-16 and 2016-17. In case of nymphs mortality, M. anisopliae Kawardha isolate @ 25% which showed higher mortality in nymph at 15 days after 1st spray, 15, 30, 45 days after 2nd spray, respectively during both the year followed by M. anisopliae Kawardha isolate @ 15%, M. anisopliae Bilaspur isolate @ 25% andM. anisopliae Bilaspur isolate @ 15%. It’s indicated that higher concentration of Metarhizium anisopliae was found significantly superior over lower concentration against adult and nymph of Pyrilla population in sugarcane. However, both the isolates of Beauveria bassiana were not found much effective against the adults and nymphs population of Pyrilla during both the years.