Oils enhance the efficacy of entomopathogens used as augmentative biological control agents. The effect of cheap and commonly
available various plant oils,
viz., sunflower oil, neem oil, pongamia oil, castor oil, gingili oil, coconut oil, groundnut oil, and the adhesive stickers laboline
and Triton-X100, on
Verticillium lecanii, an entomopathogen recommended for the control of major sucking pests of horticultural importance, was studied. The first
four oils screened, significantly enhanced mycelia growth and conidiation. Gingili oil, coconut oil, groundnut oil and Triton-X100
were found to be poor carriers of
V. lecanii in relation to mycelia growth and conidiation.
Key words
Verticillium lecanii
- plant oils - adhesive stickers - compatibility - conidiation
http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 14, 2005.