In-Vitro Evaluation of the Entomopathogenic Fungal Isolates of Metarhizium Anisopliae for Compatibility with Pesticides, Fungicides and Botanicals.

ABSTRACT

Isolates of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae were tested for their compatibility with insecticides, fungicides and botanical pesticides, which are being used in the field, as a prerequisite for developing as mycopesticides and their use in IPM programmes. Three concentrations (0.1X, 0.5X and 1X) of each chemical were evaluated in the laboratory based on the recommended dose for field application by food poison technique. Variation in vegetative growth and sporulation of M. anisopliae appeared to be related to the chemical nature of the formulations, its concentration and the fungal isolates in study. M19 and M48 isolates showed compatibility with imidacloprid at 0.5X and 0.1X and with fungicide sulphur at all the concentrations tested. All the four botanicals tested were found to be compatible to all the four fungal isolates and neem gold displayed maximum tolerance, at all the concentrations. M19 displayed an enhancement in the vegetative growth with imidacloprid (2%) and HIT (2-18%). 2% increase in the spore output was also recorded by M19 with chloropyrifos and sulphur. M19 and M48 isolates demonstrated compatibility with pesticides, fungicides and botanicals as well as with a cockroach management pesticide, HIT. The two isolates of M. anisopliae tested emerged as prospecting candidates for use as mycopesticide component in the combined application with pesticides like imidachloprid and fungicide, sulphur as well as botanicals in the IPM programmes.