Journal of Environmental Biology

Eco-friendly formulation preparation of fungal biopesticide Metarhizium anisopliae and its impact on the viability, insecticidal activity and pesticidal compatibility

G.P. Avinash¹, S. Karthick Raja Namasivayam¹*,  R.S. Arvind Bharani², K. Samrat³ and M. Tamilselvi⁴     

¹Centre for Applied Research, SaveethaSchool of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai−602 105, India

²Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Madras Medical College, Chennai−600 008, India

³Department of Biotechnology, M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bengaluru−560 054, India

⁴Centre for Bio-resource Research and Development (C-BIRD), Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai − 600119, India

Received: 16 April 2024                   Revised: 13 June 2024                   Accepted: 28 June 2024

*Corresponding Author Email : biologiask@gmail.com                    *ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2894-1905

Abstract

Aim: The present investigation evaluated the effect of various formulations on the viability, pesticide compatibility and biocontrol potential of fungal biopesticidal agent Metarhizium anisopliae under laboratory conditions.

Methodology: Soil isolate of M. anisopliae biomass was formulated with different oils like sunflower, groundnut, neem oil, water and diesel using green principles.

Results: Sunflower oil recorded maximum viability among the formulations, revealing 91.4% formulation efficacy, followed by groundnut oil, which showed 87.2% efficacy. The viability of the fungal isolate was found to be low in diesel formulation, which showed 69.2% formulation efficacy. A compatibility study revealed that sunflower oil formulation showed high tolerance to all the tested pesticides. Sunflower oil formulation also showed a high rate of mortality against S. litura.

Interpretation: The present study suggests using oil formulation as an effective carrier for the fungal biopesticide Metarhizium anisopliae with high compatibility and viability.

Key words: Biopesticide, Fungal strains, Metarhizium anisopliae, Sunflower oil

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