Production of Metarhizium anisopliae as Pellet Bio-product and their Application to Control Oryctes rhinoceros L.

Abstract

Rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros (L)) is an important insect pest of coconut and palm plants. The implementation of Metarhizium anisopliae stain DOA-M5 as biological control agents was used to control Rhinoceros beetle. The research was conducted during January 2015 - December 2017. The objective was to obtain the suitable mass production technology and effectiveness to control the Rhinoceros beetle in the field which focused on practical and inexpensive including unharmed to farmers. Four pellet formulations of Metarhizium anisopliae stain DOA-M5 were produced. Results showed that the formulation which consisted of pumice, fresh fungal culture, palm oil and distilled water was the most suitable for pellet bio-pesticide according to short time (38 days) consuming during the process and low cost production (38.82 baht/kg). The efficiency test in semi-greenhouse was 200 gm per cement artificial breeding site 0.24 cubic meters. The 27 field trial applications were conducted in coconut plantation in Nakhon Pathom and Samut Songkhram Provinces. The average numbers of larvae in each trap were not statistically different at 48.12 in biopesticide product and 35.43 in fresh culture inoculum. Furthermore, the percentage of larvae infection with Metarhizium fungus in traps were not different in
statistic at 87.07% and 77.67% respectively.