Potential of the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana strain CS‐1 as a biological control agent of Plutella xylostella (Lep.,Yponomeutidae)

Laboratory and net house assays of the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana CS‐1, were conducted to examine the possibility of using this strain to control the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella in Korea. Treatment of conidial suspensions at various concentrations indicated that corrected mortality at 1 × 108 conidia/ml was 86.23% with LT50 of 1.63 days under the laboratory conditions and 66.5% with LT50 of 3.61 days in the net house assay. Assessment of rigorous dose–response showed that at least 1800 conidia of the strain CS‐1 should adhere to a single DBM larva to induce successful infection. These results indicated that the strain CS‐1 has the capability to lower the DBM larval population rapidly as well as effectively.