Abstract

The potential of the entomogenous fungus P. farinosus as a biocontrol agent against the noctuid Eligma narcissus and the yponomeutid Atteva fabriciella, pests of Ailanthus triphysa, was tested in the laboratory. In field surveys in Kerala, India, in 1983-86, 40 of collected pupae of E. narcissus were infected. Field-collected 2nd- and 4th-instar larvae of E. narcissus and larvae of various instars of Atteva fabriciella were inoculated with spore suspensions (at 1 X 104 and 1 X 105 spores/ml) and incubated at 27°C. After 48 h, 83-100 mortality of E. narcissus larvae and 80 mortality of A. fabriciella was observed. When larvae of E. narcissus were allowed to feed on leaves of Ailanthus triphysa which had been sprayed with spore suspensions, 76-93 mortality occurred after 72 h. It is concluded that P. farinosus has high potential as a biocontrol agent of E. narcissus and A. fabriciella