Evaluation of Beauveria bassiana against chickpea pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera and its safety to natural enemies

The chickpea pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), a serious insect pest of pulses, has developed resistance to many groups of insecticides all over the world. The entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana (Buls.- Criv.) safe to predators and parasites, recommended for using in rotation with insecticides to mitigate the resistance to chemical insecticides, was evaluated for its efficacy against H. armigera in chickpea and its safety to natural enemies at research farm, Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology in Gurgaon, Haryana during two seasons 2012-13 and 2013-14. The three spray were made on 15 days intervals starting from appearance of pest, i.e. (07.02.2013, 22.02.2013 and 09.03.2013 during 2012-13) and (16.02.2014, 03.03.2014 and 18.03.2014 during 2013-14) cropping season of different doses of Beauveria bassiana 1.15% WP (1 × 108 cfu/g) were carried out with knapsack sprayer @500 litres of water per hectare. The results revealed that B. bassiana 1.15% WP @ 3 000 g/ha and 2 500 g/ha were highly effectual in controlling pod borer populations after two sprays of both the seasons, quinalphos 25%EC @ 1 000g/ha being a chemical pesticide was sprayed at pod formation stage and also effective against pod borer populations on both the seasons.