The tea ecosystem is a monocropping pattern in which it creates a microclimatic condition which favours the unconditional growth of pests. The conventional practices for the management of tea mosquito bugs such as the injudicious use of synthetic pyrethroid, organophosphates and neonicotinoid groups of chemicals result in the development of resistance hence an alternative strategy for the management is required. The current study aimed to identify the efficient isolates of Entomopathogenic Fungus (EPF) from the native tea ecosystem. The new native isolates of EPF against tea mosquito bug viz., Beauveria bassiana (OP269691; OP288145) and Metarhizium anisopliae (OP269693) were identified from the tea gardens of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The new strains harboured from the tea mosquito bug-infested fields. The cadaver isolates had the highest mortality among all the strains including the commercial formulation. The male and female adults had 86% and 83% mortality respectively for B. bassiana followed by the fifth instar, first and second nymphal instars. The present investigation proved that the B. bassiana native strains tested were efficient for the management of nymphal and adult stages of tea mosquito bugs.
Ashif et al. (Fri,) studied this question.