Novel Entomopathogenic Fungi of Tamil Nadu Soils and Their Pathogenicity on Waxmoth Larva (Galleria mellonella)

Background: Biological plant protection with entomopathogenic fungi is a vital component of sustainable pest management. The most widely used entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Verticillium sp. And Isaria sp., though there are several other genera of EPF whose potential correlates to that of commonly used fungi for reducing insect pests. The primary goal of this study was to assess the efficiency of a few novel fungal isolates against insect pests. Methods: Two concentrations of four different entomopathogenic fungi were evaluated for their potency against wax moth larvae, Galleria mellonella at Insectary, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Result: Mortality was observed in both the concentrations of four fungi, among which Penicillium simplicissimum performed well on par with Clonostachys rosea and Purpureocillium lilacinum. Hence, these fungi could be formulated and utilized in biological pest control.