The Entomopathogenic fungi

Entomopathogenic fungi, Nomuraea rileyi (Farlow) Samson is an important natural mortality factor of many Lepidopteran pests on variety of crop ecosystem. Considering the effectiveness and economics N. rileyi @ 1.25 kg/ha combined with methomyl 0.025 per cent or novaluron 0.004 per cent or spinosad 0.0045 per cent or indoxacarb 0.0015 per cent was found as effective and economical and can be recommended for eco-friendly management of S. litura in groundnut ecosystem, when they were applied twice first at 50 per cent flowering and second at 50 per cent pod formation. The results of laboratory bioassays confirmed the results of field efficacy of N. rileyi alone and its combination with insecticides against S. litura. N. rileyi @ 2.5 g/litre proved to be the most effective dose among nine doses tested against 3rd instar larvae of S. litura under laboratory condition.Compatibility studies of insecticides with N. rileyi resulted that spinosad 0.009 per cent, endosulfan 0.07 per cent, novaluron 0.008 per cent and quinalphos 0.05 per cent were found most compatible with N. rileyi.