Extent of Natural Infection of Entomopathogens in Whitegrubs of Western Himalayan Region of Uttarakhand

Abstract

Survey was conducted to observe the natural infection of entomopathogenic microorganisms of whitegrub in the pre-selected whitegrub endemic pockets of Haridwar, Tehri and Pauri district of Uttarakhand during 2009 to 2011. The microorganisms I>Bacillus cereus, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Steinernema sp. and Heterorhabditis sp. were the major disease causing agents in whitegrub under rainfed condition of Uttarakhand which caused 15.55 to 21.63 percent natural mortality of grubs with an average of 18.91 percent during the study period. Among the microorganisms, B. cereus was found to be more efficient (7.03 percent mortality) followed by the entomopathogenic fungi (3.80 percent mortality) and nematodes (3.20 percent mortality).