<I>Beauveria bassiana</I> (Balsamo) Vuillemin , a Potential Entomogenous Fungal Pathogen Isolated from Marwar Teak Defoliator , <I>Patialus tecomella</I> Pajni , Kumar & Rose (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract

A naturally occurring entomogenous fungus , Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin has been isolated from the dead diseased weevils of Marwar teak defoliator , Patialus tecomella Pajni , Kumar & Rose from Rajasthan. The mortality of adult Patialus tecomella exposed to a series of spore dilutions from 3.5 × 10⁷ to 8.5 × 10⁴ spores/ml , decreased with decreasing amounts of inoculum. At spore concentrations of 3.5 × 10⁴ spores/ml , the mortality of the treated weevils was significantly greater than of the uninoculated controls. Experiments carried out using microbial controlling agent against P. tecomella gave 70% mortality of the grown up weevils. When applied in a spore concentration of 3.5 × 10⁷ , the pathogens is proved to be highly effective and very promising as a microbial agent to check the pest populations.