Bio-efficacy of biocontrol agents against Fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) under laboratory conditions

Abstract

Laboratory bioefficacy of six test bioagents viz., entomopathogenic fungi (Metarhizium anisopliae, Nomjraea rileyi, Beauveria bassiana), entomopathogenic bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis, entomopathogenic nematode Steirnerernema carpocapsae and botanicals Azardirachtin were evaluated against 1st, 3rd, 5th instar larva of fall armyworm at 1st, 3rd 5th and 7th days after treatment. Among all evaluated bioagents treatment with Bt showed the highest mortality i.e 85.92%, 64.44% and 50.00 % against 1st, 3rd, and 5th instar larvae, respectively. The next best treatment was Nomurea rileyi showed 71.48%, 57.04% and 36.68% mortality against 1st, 3rd and 5th instar larvae respectively. In present study Bioefficacy depicted as Bt> N. rileyi> M. anisopliae and Azardiractin >S. carpocapsae and B. bassiana against 1st, 3rd and 5th instar larvae of fall armyworm.