Pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana (Deuteromycotina: Euteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) strains on Spodoptera litura

The pupae of Spodoptera litura (Fab.), (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a polyphagous pest affecting common crops in Indian subcontinent, were treated with different isolates of conidia of an entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana (SBT#11and SBT#16) under laboratory conditions. Both strains of B.bassiana were highly pathogenic causing 100 % mortality in S. litura which is conidial concentration dependent. SBT#11 was more virulent with a LT50 of 5.1 and 6.0 days in laboratory for SBT#16 and SBT#11 respectively. Fungal sporulation was observed in 87 % of the insect cadaver in the treated group while no sporulation was observed in the control. This study indicates that dry conidia of both isolates are pathogenic to S. litura and could be used as potential biological control agents for the tested insect