Bio-efficacy of myco-jaal™-10% SC, an oil based commercial formulation of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuillemin against diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) on cabbage

Myco-jaal™ 10% SC is a country's first registered oil based commercial formulation of Beauveria bassiana. In bioassay study, LC₅₀ value of Myco-jaal was recorded to be 0.6 ml/litre (6×10⁶ conidia/ml) of water by leaf dip method under laboratory conditions against early 3^rd instar larvae of diamondback moth (DBM) at 25+1°C and 70–80% R.H. Under farmer's field condition, application of Myco-jaal (@2ml/litre) was found to reduce DBM population by 55.10% over control, upto 25 days after treatment which was on par with Indixicarb-14.5% SC alone (60.00%), Myco-Jaal in combination with Indoxicarb-14.5% SC (62.63%) and farmer's practices (61.62%), using a combination of different chemicals to prevent the development of resistance in DBM population. However, the highest yield was recorded in the treatment involving combined application of Myco-Jaal and Indoxicarb-14.5% SC with an increase of 6.8t/ha over control. This was followed by Indoxicarb-14.5% SC (54.88t/ha), farmer's practice (54.40t/ha), Myco-Jaal (52.57t/ha) and control (48.96t/ha). The yield increase over control in Myco-Jaal treatment was 3.6t/ha. However, the highest cost: benefit ratio was obtained with Myco-Jaal 5.41, followed by Myco-jaal in combination with Indoxicarb-14.5% SC (4.23), Indoxicarb-14.5% SC (3.84) and farmers' practice (2.60). Although, Indoxicarb-14.5% SC was found to be the most effective insecticide against DBM in the present studies, Myco-Jaal was found to be superior based on cost: benefit analysis, indicating the potential of this bio-pesticide as an eco-friendly alternative in managing DBM.