Field evaluation of metschnikoff (Metarhizium anisopliae) sorokin in controlling cotton jassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula) in aubergine (Solanum aculeatissimum).

Twelve entomopathogenic fungi were screened by dipping an aubergine leaf into each isolate suspension at the concentration of 5 x 10 6 conidia mL -1 and feeding to cotton jassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida) in the laboratory. Metarhizium anisopliae CKM-048 was the most virulent strain with the percent mortality of 73.33 ± 10.00. The fungus was formulated into a wettable powder form at the concentration of 1 x 10 9 conidia g -1 and tested its efficacy in controlling cotton jassid in two aubergine plantations in central Thailand, which was compared with an insecticide, lambda-cyhalothrin 2.5% EC applied @ 31.25 g a.i.ha -1 . After three consecutively sprayed treatments at seven day intervals, results from both locations were similar, i.e., M. anisopliae CKM-048 at the dosage of 1.25 x 10 13 conidia ha -1 showed good controlling efficacy. This was not significantly different from the chemical treatment but significantly different from the un-treated control.