Evaluation of talc-based formulation of native Beauveria bassiana for control of polyphagous and sucking pests of cotton and yield improvement
摘要
The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana is extensively utilized in integrated pest management and has shown promising potential in promoting plant growth. This study assessed a talc-based formulation of B. bassiana isolate TGS2.3 (BbF) for its efficacy against the cotton pest Spodoptera litura through controlled insect bioassays and in planta evaluations. Field trials further investigated various application methods of BbF for managing naturally occurring insect populations and enhancing cotton growth and yield. Conidial viability of BbF declined with temperature, but storage at 4 °C limited the loss to 17% over six months, indicating enhanced shelf-life. Insect bioassays revealed that BbF induced larval mortality comparable to chemical insecticides and significantly increased the incidence of pupal deformities in S. litura. In planta experiments demonstrated a 38.7% reduction in pest damage and a 50% decrease in live insect populations in BbF-treated plants relative to untreated controls. Field evaluations confirmed that foliar application of BbF effectively suppressed whitefly, jassid and S. litura populations, equivalent the performance of conventional pesticides. Additionally, seed priming with BbF significantly enhanced plant growth metrics and resulted in the highest recorded cotton yield (2.39 t ha−1). These findings underscore the potential of BbF as a dual-function biopesticide, offering both effective pest control and agronomic benefits.