FIELD EVALUATION OF METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE LIQUID FORMULATION (BIOMAGIC®) AGAINST BROWN PLANT HOPPER, NILAPARVATA LUGENS STAL ON RICE

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the bio-efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae– based liquid formulations (Bio-Magic®1.50%) against Brown Plant Hopper (BPH), Nilaparvatha lugens Stal (Homoptera: Delphacidae) at the farmers’ holdings of Theni district during Summer 2015 and kharif 2015. Bio-Magic was tested at three doses of 1500 mL, 2000 mL and 4000 mL ha-1 against BPH. The results revealed that Biomagic @ 4000 mL ha-1 (84.08 and 83.21 per cent) and 2000 mL ha-1 (82.76 and 81.62 %) statistically on par in terms of efficacy in suppressing the population of BPH after two rounds of application during both the seasons with increase in grain yield of 89.58 and 88.60 per cent over untreated check. The lower dose of Biomagic® 1.5 LF @ 1500 mL ha1 ranked second in the order of efficacy, however it was better than the standard check (Quinolphos 25 EC @ 1500 mL ha-1). All the three doses of Biomagic® tested were safer to the natural enemies and were on par with untreated check without any phytotoxicity effect.