Record of white muscardine fungus, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. on rice leaf folder complex from Karaikal, Pondicherry Union Territory (India)

During 1994–95 wet season, the white muscardine fungus, Beauveria bassiana (Bal.) Vuill. was recorded as a major etiological agent causing natural epizootics in larval populations of rice leaf folder complex from Karaikal Region, Pondicherry Union Territory, India. From early October 1994 to mid-January 1995, extent of mycosis recorded was 13–100 per cent in larval populations of Cnaphalocrosis medinalis Guenee, Marasmia patnalis Bradley and M. ruralis Walker. The relative humidity and temperature ranged from 87–93% and 19.9–29.7°C, respectively.