Evaluation of Entomopathogens Against Blossom Midge, Contarinia maculipennis Felt in Jasmine ( Jasminum sambac L.)

The efficacy of microbials against jasmine blossom midge (Contarinia maculipennis Felt) was evaluated under in vitro and field conditions. The results revealed that Metarhizium anisopilae @ 1 × 10⁸ spores ml^-1 recorded maximum maggot mortality over untreated control (80.06 per cent) followed by Beauveria bassiana @ 1 × 10⁸ spores ml^-1 spores ml^-1 recording 67.57 per cent mortality. The Paecilomyces lilacinus @ 1 × 10⁸ spores treated maggots recorded minimum reduction of 50.56 per cent. However, the standard profenophos 50 EC treated maggots recorded 83.78 per cent reduction. Further, field evaluation for confirmation revealed similar trend confirming the efficacy of M. anisopilae with minimum infestation of 8.32, 7.69 and 7.31 per cent followed by B. bassiana recording 8.86, 8.93 and 8.50 per cent and L. lecani recording 9.97, 10.26 and 11.77 per cent infestation after first, second and third round of application respectively.