Endophytic Potential of Indigenous Beauveria bassiana against Spodoptera litura Fabricius in Cabbage

AbstractThe need of today’s world is enhanced production and quality of the crops in an eco-friendly manner. In the absence of complete host plant resistance in crops against insect pests, biological control forms a more sustainable and integral part of management ecosystem. Microbial biological control agents, especially entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), offer eco-friendly pest management solutions. Unlike other pathogens, EPF can infect pests upon contact with their propagules. However, environmental factors like temperature, UV light and pollutants often reduce the effectiveness of epiphytic EPF in the field. Endophytic EPF, residing within plant tissues, are gaining popularity for their resilience under adverse conditions. Hence, the research was conducted to observe the endophytic effect of native Beauveria bassiana UHSB-END1 against Spodoptera litura in cabbage. The bioassay investigations pertaining to both in-vivo and in-planta revealed that S. litura mortality peaked at 30 days after inoculation. Furthermore, larvae that consumed cabbage leaves colonized by fungi showed disrupted growth and abnormal developmental patterns, indicating a negative impact on their physiological development. By introducing this native biological product to control insect pests in cabbage habitats, it is possible to produce with minimal pesticide residue for commercial consumption while maintaining environmental integrity.