effect of some plant extracts and pesticides on entomopathogenic fungus, beauveria bassiana under laboratory conditions

the entomopathogenic fungus, beauveria bassiana (bals.) vuill., is one of the facultative insect pathogens with a significant host range and host specificity. conidial survival may be affected by either environmental factors or by bio-pesticides and chemical products used to protect crop plants. in this research, compatibility of the above mentioned fungus was studied with some traditional insecticides namely: imidaclopride, flufenoxuron, amitraz, and as well with neem (azadirachta indica a. juss (meliaceae), stinking assa (ferula assa-foetida l. (apiaceae)), oleander (nerium oleander (apocynaceae)) and neemazal-t/s. effect of pesticides and plant extracts on conidial germination and on vegetative growth of the fungus were studied. the formulations of pesticides and plant extracts were tested in three sets of concentrations (mean concentration-mc, half mc and twice the mc). the results indicated that flufenoxuron, neem, neemazal-t/s are not compatible with b. bassiana causing either complete or strong inhibition in its development. the compatible formulations with b. bassiana (isolate debi008) were on the other hand imidacloprid, oleander and stinking assa. these later formulations could be employed simultaneously with the entomopathogenic fungus in integrated pest management.