Laboratory Evaluation of Pathogenicity and Biocontrol Efficacy of Two Indigenous Tea Soil Fungi against Odontotermes obesus (Rambur)A Pest of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze

SANGEETA HAZARIKA*, DIPSIKHA BORA AND BICHITRA KUMAR BARTHAKUR
Laboratory of Entomology of Life Sciences Department, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh-786 004 (Assam),
India
*(e-mail : sangitahazarika.hazarika@gmail.com; Mobile : 09954441336)
(Received : October 21, 2019; Accepted : December 18, 2019)

ABSTRACT

Odontotermes obesus (Rambur), an important dominant insect-pest of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze of NE India is responsible for enormous crop loss to the tea industry. The current study showed that Metarhizium anisopilae strain DULS TTRA and Purpureocillium lilacinum strain DULS TTRA, two indigenous tea soil fungi were highly pathogenic to worker and soldier caste of O. obesus under in vitro condition. Efficacy of the experimental fungi was further assessed by comparing LC₅₀ and LT₅₀ with recommended commercial formulation and found to have less LC₅₀ and LT₅₀ than the established virulent strain.
Key words : Metarhizium anisopilae strain DULS TTRA, Purpureocillium lilacinum strain DULS TTRA, Odontotermes obesus, mortality, pest