Indian Journal of Ecology
Year : 2018, Volume : 45, Issue : 1
First page : ( 210) Last page : ( 213)
Print ISSN : 0304-5250.

Potential of entomopathogens in managing potato whitegrubs in Himachal Pradesh

Chandel R.S.^*, Rana Abhishek, Sanjta Suman, Mehta P.K.

Department of Entomology, CSKHPKVPalampur-176 062, India

^*E-mail: visitrvchandel@yahoo.com

Online published on 30 March, 2022.

Abstract

Brahmina coriacea (Hope) is the most widespread and destructive species of whitegrubs having potential to inflict 40 to 50 per cent yield losses to potato in Himachal Pradesh. The entomopathogens constitute a potential group of biocontrol agents against whitegrubs, therefore Beauveria bassiana Vuill., Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff), Heterorhabditis indica Poinar and Bacillus cereus Frankland & Frankland were evaluated in potato at Kheradhar. H. indica @ 10 kg ha⁻¹ was highly effective with tuber damage ranging from 12.5 to 12.7 per cent in treated plots. Mixed application of H. indica + B. bassiana or M. anisopliae showed additive or synergistic effect. There was 11.4 to 12.2 per cent tuber damage in H. indica+ B. bassiana or M. anisopliae treatments. Maximum reduction in tuber damage was observed in H. indica + B. bassiana, followed by H. indica + M. anisopliae treatment. There was 48.75 to 55.38 per cent reduction in tuber damage when Galleria mellonella cadavers infected with H. indica were applied in soil. Direct application of G. mellonella cadavers infected with H. indica showed higher efficacy which may be attributed to greater activity of infective juveniles in soil.

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Keywords

Whitegrubs, Brahmina coriacea, Beauveria bassiana, Heterorhabditis indica, Metarhizium anisopliae.

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