Bio-Efficacy of Metarzhizium Anisopliae (Met 52ec) Against Planthoppers in Wetland Rice

Field trials were conducted to study the bio-efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae (MET) 52EC against planthoppers in rice for two successive seasons. Weekly and fortnightly spraying with 500, 1000, and 2000 mL/ha of MET 52EC was compared with a standard check, monocrotophos 36 WSC at 1390 mL/ha, and an untreated check. Weekly applications of MET 52EC reduced the build-up of planthoppers compared to fortnightly applications. During the 2011 Kharif season, the mean reduction of planthoppers compared to the untreated check was highest with fortnightly applications of MET 52EC at 1000 mL/ha (83.58%). The results were almost equal, with the check insecticide, monocrotophos, at 1390 mL/ha (83.88%), and the subsequent best treatment was a weekly application of MET 52EC at 2000 mL/ha (77.98%). During Rabi 2011-2012, the weekly application of MET 52 EC at 2000 mL/ha (72.14%) and MET 52 EC at 1000 mL/ha (69.61%) resulted in the highest mean percentage reduction of planthoppers and were higher than the check insecticide monocrotophos at 1390 mL/ha (67.63%). The average grain yields in both seasons indicated that monocrotophos at 1390 mL/ha (4121 kg/ha) and weekly application of MET 52 EC at 500 mL/ha (4102 kg/ha) were significantly similar. MET 52 EC at all dosages did not exhibit any deleterious effects on natural enemies and did not cause any phytotoxic symptoms..