Enriched bioformulations of Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimmermann) Zare and Gams against sucking pests of yard long bean, Vigna ungiculata L. Walp sesquipedalis

The formulations were sprayed at two levels of infestation of the major sucking pest, the black pea aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch, first at 5% (vegetative phase) and second at 50% (reproductive phase). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with six treatments (1-untreated control) and four replications. The treatments comprised the following (i) Formulation I-chitin enriched groundnut oil (CGNO) + Adjuvant combination (AC) 1 + boric acid (BA) 1% (ii) Formulation II-CGNO + AC 2 + BA 1% (iii) Formulation III-CGNO + AC 3 + BA 1% (iv) Talc based KAU product of Lecanicillium lecanii (v) chlorpyriphos 0.05% as chemical check and (vi) untreated control. Analysis of the data on population revealed that plots treated with Formulation I was equally effective as chlorpyriphos 0.05% resulting in 98.93% control at 5% level of infestation and 96.74% at 50% level of infestation levels of aphids, seven days after spraying (DAS). The percentage reduction noted in population of mites, jassids and whiteflies was 92.58, 58.81 and 96.74%, respectively at seven DAS. The yield recorded with Formulation I and II was 10.98 t/ha and 10.53 t/ha respectively, which were on par with the chemical check.