Compatibility of pesticides with Metarhizium anisopliae

Abstract

Metarhizium anisopliae is the most considerable entomopathogenic fungal species. The entomopathogenic fungi are often reported as causing high levels of epizootics in nature and are the most versatile environmentally safe biological control agents. The present investigations were carried out at Biocontrol Laboratory, Agricultural Entomology Section, College of Agriculture, Dhule during Jan 2018 to Dec 2018. The pure culture of Metarhizium anisopliae was maintained at Agricultural Entomology Section, College of Agriculture, Dhule on PDA slants. The compatibility of nineteen pesticides were evaluated by employing ‘Poisoned food technique’ and their effect on growth characteristic of Metarhizium anisopliae was studied. All the insecticidal treatments were recorded reduction in vegetative growth, of M. anisopliae. Among all the tested insecticide, the treatment with azadirachtin recorded the highest vegetative growth of M. anisopliae followed by flonicamid, imidacloprid and flubendamid indicating their compatibility with Metarhizium anisopliae. Among the tested fungicidal carbendazim and propiconazole did not show any vegetative growth of Metarhizium anisopliae, while fungicide treatment with copper oxychloride showed least vegetative growth of Metarhizium anisopliae. The rest of the insecticidal treatments in descending order are Azadirachtin 3000 ppm -Flonocamid 50% WG - Spiromesifan 22.9%SC - Imidaclopride 17.8%SL - Flubendamide 39.35%SC - Clorantraniliprole 18.5% SL - Deltamethrin 2.8% EC - Spinosad 45% SC - Fipronil 5% SC - Emamectin benzoate 5% SG with Metarhizium anisopliae.