Bioefficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae on Aphis craccivora Koch

Laboratory bioassay studies were carried with nine conidial concentrations of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin ranging from 1×10³ to 1×10¹¹ conidia/ml against the adults of Aphis craccivora Koch. Mortality was monitored at 24 h (1day) interval up to five days. The mortality data indicated that mortality increased with time, and in the highest concentration (10¹¹conidia/ml) 83.83% mortality was obtained. This was followed by a mortality of 64.72 and 52.96% with 1×10¹⁰ conidia/ml and 1×10⁹conidia/ml. However, mortality declined with decrease in concentrations with a lowest (17.65%) at 1×10³conidia/ml. The results show that M. anisopliae can be used as a promising biocontrol agent for management of A. craccivora.