Effectiveness of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin(Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) along with diatomaceous earthagainst the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract: The aim of this research was to evaluate efficacy of a local isolate (WG-01) ofMetarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) along withdiatomaceous earth (DE) against the adults of the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera:Curculionidae). The rice kernels were treated with three different doses i.e. 2.78 x 106, 2.78 x107 and 2.78 x 108 conidia kg-1 alone and also in combination with Protect-It at 100 and200ppm, respectively. The mortality of adult weevils was determined after 7d, 14d and 21d ofexposure intervals at the conditions of 25 ± 2°C and 55% r.h. After every count of mortality thedead adults were removed and then they were kept for next 62d to check the production of theprogeny. The results revealed that the rice treated with the highest dose rate of M. anisopliaewhen combined with 200ppm of Protect-It gave the maximum mortality of S. oryzae and reducedprogeny production. These findings showed that the entomopathogenic fungi when combinedwith DE are more effective in comparison with the application of either fungi or DE alone,against S. oryzae.