Combined effect of nutrients, stickers and spreaders on biological parameters of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. and its efficacy against Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee)

The effect of nutrients (peptone, dextrose, maltose, NaCl), stickers (Tween-80 & TritonX-100) and spreaders such as oil (coconut oil, groundnut oil, mustard oil, sunflower oil), sunscreen lotion and detergents (soap, teepol) on biological parameters of Beauveria bassiana and its efficacy against larvae of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis. Three concentrations for each nutrients (0.75, 1.5% 3.0%), stickers (0.01, 0.023 & 0.03%), oil and lotion (0.025, 0.1 & 0.5%) and detergents (0.025, 0.05 & 0.1%) were tested. The combination of all the nutrients at 0.75% concentration, Tween 80 @ 0.1% and coconut oil @ 0.5% showed the best result in respect to conidial density (177.33x10⁷ conidia/ml), germination (94.9%) and mortality (90.4%) of C. medinalis.