Efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin SBI-Ma-SF 5 strain against tomato fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Lepidopetra: Noctuidae)

The polyphagous tomato fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) causes yield loss of 40 – 60 per cent under favourable conditions in Tomato. farmers rely upon chemical insecticides for its management and injudicious use leads to unwarranted problems. bio pesticides as a component integrated pest is one the important factor overcome related issue. Among bio-pesticides entomopathogenic fungi proved their ability against many Lepidopterans. pathogenicity Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin SBI SF Ma 5 strain was studied H. armigera. median concentration (LC50) M. 1 3.1 x 108 conidia/ml with fiducial limits 2.2 107 4.2 109 conidia/ml. lethal time (LT50) value be 6.53 days. caused 88.83 mortality second instar at concentration. decrease conidial reduced efficacy strain. This can used after field evaluation.