ABSTRACT
Liquid bioformulation of Metarhizium anisopliae amended with oils and adjuvants was prepared. Six oils viz., sunflower, safflower, soybean, mustard, arachnid and coconut oils at three different concentrations, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 per cent and three adjuvants viz., glycerol @ 5, 8 and 10 per cent; tween-80 @ 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 1.0 per cent and arachnid oil @ 1, 5 and 10 per cent were tested to see their effect on growth and development of M. anisopliae in the bioformulation. Liquid bioformulation of M. anisopliae amended with Glycerol (10.0%) + Sunflower oil (0.5%) was found significantly effective which showed 84.33 per cent and 94.93 per cent higher surface area covered and biomass production respectively than the control. Efficacy of the bioformulation was tested against cow pea aphid, Aphis craccivora in pot as well as field condition. Liquid formulation of M. anisopliae supplemented with Glycerol (10.0%) + Sunflower oil (0.5%) was found to be significantly effective causing aphid mortality of 80 per cent at 30 days after spraying with protection of secondary spread of cow pea mosaic disease up to 100 per cent and 96.03 per cent in pot and field condition respectively. Spraying liquid formulation of M. anisopliae amended with Glycerol (10.0%) + Sunflower oil (0.5%) at 15 days interval for twice proved to be the best treatment with highest yield of 24.03 t/ha with a cost benefit ratio of 1:7.95 as compared to control (11.20 t/ha).