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The virulence of Isaria fumosorosea alone and integrated with an enhanced formulation of diatomaceous earth (diatomaceous earth + bitterbarkomycin, DEBBM) was tested against the lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) under laboratory conditions on stored wheat. The fungus was applied to wheat grains at various concentrations of 3.60 × 106, 3.60 × 108, and 3.60 × 1010 conidia/kg alone, or in combination with 15 and 30 ppm of DEBBM. R. dominica was held at 20, 25 and 30°C and two RH regimes (56 and 75%) and mortality was registered after 5, 10 and 15 d. Generally, I. fumosorosea was most effective at 25°C caused the highest mortality of R. dominica at 56% RH. The increase of temperature, concentration and exposure interval increased the insecticidal effect of DEBBM at low RH level. The DE alone suppressed the progeny emergence at higher dose rate as compared I. fumosorosea alone, but their simultaneous use further reduced the progeny production of R. dominica. The integrated use of both tested bio control agents synergized the effect of each other and caused the highest mortality at 25°C and 56% RH. The results clearly demonstrated that I. fumosorosea and new enhanced DEBBM can be integrated to be an effective control measure for R. dominica in stored wheat.

A local isolate of Metarhizium anisopliae (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki and chlorantraniliprole were assessed against six field populations of tomato fruitworm Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in a series of laboratory bioassays. Two dose rates of B. thuringiensis (0.5, 1 μg g−1), one of both M. anisopliae (1.3 × 106 conidia ml−1) and chlorantraniliprole (0.01 ppm) were applied alone and in combination with each other against 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th larval instars. The mortality was observed every 24 h until pupation. The bioassays were carried out at 25°C and 75% r.h. The highest mortality was observed in Rawalpindi with the lowest pupation rate by applying the combined concentrations of B. thuringiensis and chlorantraniliprole. The lowest mortality was observed in population from Gujranwala among all the tested populations. The antagonistic interaction was noted where the high dose rate of B. thuringiensis was combined with M. anisopliae; however, the remaining interactions enhanced the mortality and reduced the percent pupation. The overall results demonstrated that all the treatments gave significant control of the larval instars of H. armigera. The population from Gujranwala proved least susceptible whereas the one from Rawalpindi was highly susceptible.

Bioassays were conducted to evaluate the effects of combining thiamethoxam at 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 mg/kg of active ingredient with the diatomaceous earth (DE) formulation, SilicoSec, at the rate of 100 mg/kg against four Pakistan populations of the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae). The tests were carried out with adult beetles on wheat, maize, and rice. Mortality increased with increasing application rates and exposure intervals for each population. Individually, thiamethoxam alone was more effective at the high dose rate than DE alone, but after 14 days of exposure in most cases, there was greater mortality with DE than with the low dose of thiamethoxam. There was greater mortality in wheat than in rice or maize. Populations differed in susceptibility to treatments and production of progeny.

The distribution of entomopathogenic fungi in various geographical areas of Punjab, Pakistan, is poorly understood. The present study was planned to explore the occurrence and diversity of entomopathogenic fungi from soils collected from cultivated and non-cultivated habitats. The detailed survey of different habitats (crop fields, fruits, vegetables, forests) was conducted to collect soil samples and the associated fungi were isolated using Galleria bait method. Among 210 soil samples, 168 fungal isolates were recovered and identified, with 98 from forests, 32 from vegetables, 30 from field crops and 8 from fruits. The major entomopathogenic fungi recovered from these samples were Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Paecilomyces lilacinus, B. brongniartii, P. chlamydosporia and Lecanicillium attenuatum. The diversity of entomopathogenic fungi was greater in soil samples from forests compared to crop fields, vegetables and fruits, respectively. The geographical attributes (altitude, longitude, latitude) greatly influenced the occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi with the highest number of isolates found from >600 m altitude, 33°–34′N latitude, and 73°74′E longitude from soil samples. The results of the surveys clearly indicated that the entomopathogenic fungi are distributed in the soils which may be used in successful IPM programs in future.

The residual efficacy of diatomaceous earth alone and in combination with Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin or a neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam against Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) was studied under laboratory conditions. The mortality of adult R. dominica was decreased over the 9 months of storage period and the combined application of the test materials enhanced the mortality rates compared with alone treatments. The greatest mortality was observed in the combination of DE with thiamethoxam. Progeny suppression was decreased with the extended storage period. The maximum rate of mycosis and sporulation in the cadavers of R. dominica was observed where B. bassiana was applied alone at the lowest-dose rate. The results of this study indicate that all three control measures may provide safety for an extended period of time against R. dominica.

A diatomaceous earth formulation enhanced with bitterbarkomycin (DEBBM) combined with Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin was evaluated against lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica F. (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) under laboratory conditions. DEBBM was applied at the rates of 15 and 30 ppm alone as well as in combination with 6.69 ¥ 10

A laboratory assay was designed to determine the insecticidal efficacy of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hyphomycetes: Moniliales) and diatomaceous earth (Diafil 610) against Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae). The fungus B. bassiana was applied at 2.23 × 107, 2.23 × 108 and 2.23 × 109 conidia kg−1 of wheat individually as well as mixed with 200 and 400 ppm of Diafil 610. The conditions for the trials were 30 ± 2oC with 55% r.h. and the counts for mortality were made after 8, 16 and 24 d. All the dead adults were removed after each count and the vials were kept for the next 60 d to assess the emergence of the F1 generation. The findings from these studies proved that the extended exposure interval and the highest combined dose rate of the entomopathogenic fungus and the diatomaceous earth gave the maximum mortality of the beetles. The emergence of the progeny was also highly suppressed where the maximum dose rate of the synergized treatments was applied. The rate of mycosis and sporulation in the cadavers of R. dominica was maximum where the low dose rates of B. bassiana were applied.

The pod borer Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an important insect pest of chickpea and several other crops in Asia, Africa and Australia. The present studies were carried out on integration of various practices for the management of H. armigera in Punjab, Pakistan, during 2004-05. Chickpea variety ‘CM-2000’ was selected for evaluating various strategies such as cultural, mechanical, biological, microbial, and chemical control, individually and in various possible combinations, for the management of H. armigera at three different locations. Integration of weeding, hand picking and indoxacarb (an oxadiazine insecticide) proved to be the most effective in reducing the larval population and pod infestation and resulted in the maximum grain yield. The larval population of the combined effect of these practices was not significantly different from hand picking + indoxacarb, weeding + indoxacarb, and indoxacarb alone. Hand picking in combination with Bacillus thuringiensis, and weeding + hand picking, also controlled the larval population significantly, but was inferior to the above treatments. The release of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) did not control H. armigera. It was concluded on the basis of the cost — benefit ratio that hand picking was the most cost-effective method for the control of H. armigera, while the maximum increase in grain yield was obtained in plots with weeding, hand picking, and indoxacarb.

Mortality of adult Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) was recorded after exposure for different times to application rates of 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 or 2 g/m 2 of the diatomaceous earth (DE) DEBBM-P/WP and to 0, 3, 4, 5 or 6 g/m 2 of the DE Protect-It ® . Mortality of all insects increased with increasing exposure interval; dry dusts were more effective than slurries, and overall mortality was greater for DEBBM-P/WP than Protect-It ® .