European Journal of Biotechnology and Bioscience

Authors
Anitha S, Sam Manohar Das S, Thivya S

Abstract
The major objective of this study is to mass produce Metarhizium anisopliae (Mets.) in a cheap substrate like jack fruit seed and tornascertain spore quality by evluating the effect of their powder formulation against the life stages stored grain pest, Corcyrarncephalonica Stainton (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The production of conidiospores in jack fruit seed medium was high. The 16 daysrnold culture was fully covered with the conidiospores. The conidiospore production recorded after 16 days of incubation was 21.2xrn10⁴rn spores/ ml and the viable count was 41.4x10⁷rn cfu/ ml. The dust formulation of M. anisopliae containing the adjuvants likerncharcoal, kaolin, wheat flour and ash was prepared to contain 3, 6 or 9 percent dry fungal powder preparations of differentrnconcentrations were very effective against all the larval instars of C. cephalonica. The mortality rate increased with the increasingrnconcentration of dust formulation and days of exposure. Third instar larvae were more susceptible to the fungal formulation than thernolder ones. The culture media and adjuvants used for the preparation are ideal, since the cost of materials is very low and thernentomopathogenecity high.