Efficacy of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Nomuraea rileyi in the Biological Control of Vegetable Pest Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

Eight strains of the entomopathogenic of the fungus Nomuraea rileyi were screened for control of the common cutworm, Spodoptera litura. The results showed that N. rileyi was pathogenic to S. litura, and that pathogenity significantly varied among the strains. The mortalities ranged from 2.5 to 92.5% at 7 d after inoculation. The strains tested were classified into three groups according to mortality percentage. High pathogenicity level was defined as a mortality greater than 75.79%, moderate pathogenicity was a mortality between 75.79 to 49.50%, and low pathogenicity level less than 49.50% mortality. The high pathogenicity level contained two strains, BCC 14653 and BCC 14671, which were identified as highly virulent and used in a secondary bioassay against various larval stages. Nomuraea rileyi could become an important biopesticide agent in an integrated pest management program for insect pest control.