Efficacy of beauveria bassiana (deuteromycotina: Hypomycetes) against different aphid species under laboratory conditions

In the recent study,the entomopathogenic fungus,beauveria bassiana was used to evaluate its pathogenecity against adults of different aphid species i.e.,schizaphis graminum,rhopalosiphum padi,brevicoryne brassicae and lipaphis erysimi,and their natural enemy coccinella septempunctata. b. bassiana was found effective at all concentrations i.e.,1×106,1×107 and 1×108 spores/ml on all aphid species,but the uppermost concentration (1×108 spores/ml) provided maximum control within short period of time (p < 0.0001). b. bassiana with lc50 value of 6.28 × 105 proved to be lethal to b. brassicae after 3rd day. mortality of l. erysimi was observed maximum on highest concentration of 1×108 spores/ml with lc50 value of 1.36 × 106,while the lt50 values were in range of 2.19-3.73 days for different aphid species treated at various concentrations. b. bassiana showed little or no detrimental effects to c. septempunctata. by testing the field efficacy of b. bassiana against aphid species,this insect pathogenic fungus can be used as potential biocontrol agent for the management of aphids. copyright 2013 zoological society of pakistan.