Effectiveness test the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metch) at various concentrations against Spodoptera frugiperda J. E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae in the laboratory

Abstract

Abstract Spodoptera frugiperda is one of the most important major pests of maize in the world. Armyworms are polyphagous, the main target is corn, pests can move to other hosts if there is no primary host so that these pests can survive and maintain their populations throughout the year. S.frugiperda is also considered a serious insect pest because it reproduces in several generations per year and adults can fly up to 100 km per night, giving it the potential to spread widely in a short time. This study aim to determine the effectiveness of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (match) at various concentrations against S. Frugiperda. This study was conducted in laboratory conditions, using a completely randomized design using four treatments and five replications. Each replicates used 20 test larvae. the treatments were: control, concentration of M. anisopliae 107, M. anisopliae 108, and of M. anisopliae 109. The larvae used as test larvae were instar 2 larvae, and observations were made every day to see the mortality of the test insects and record the symptoms that appeared in larvae after the application of M. anisopliae. The results showed that there was an effect of mortality on the test insects seen in treatment 108 showing the highest treatment of 9.15 days after application compared to all treatments. at 14 days post-application. The results of this study indicate the need for proper development for the purpose of effective pest control in crop cultivat.