Enhancing Red Ginger Plant Growth through Eco-Friendly Pest Management: Synergistic Effects of Metarhizium anisopliae and Imidacloprid

Abstract This study explores the potential of a more environmentally friendly pest management approach for enhancing vegetative growth red ginger plants (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) by mitigating damage caused Lepidiota stigma (white grub) larvae. The was conducted at Experimental Garden Faculty Agriculture, UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta from April to August 2022, utilizing factorial Completely Randomized Design. application entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae varying doses (0 g, 10 20 and 30 g per 3 kg planting media) systemic insecticide Imidacloprid (either absent or dose 0.02 were primary factors studied. Each treatment combination, executed on ten each infested with one larvae, repeated thrice. findings demonstrate that combined M. could significantly reduce intensity white grub improve their growth. Notably, media maximized plant height, leaf number, tiller count. highlight integrating biological chemical controls sustainable crop yield improvement, broad implications other similar agricultural contexts.