Andi Irma Suryani, Itji Diana Daud, Melina, Vien Sartika Dewi
Background and Objective: Spodoptera frugiperda, a major pest of corn crops, causes significant losses for farmers. Biological control approaches offer a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution to address this issue. This study examines the effectiveness of Mirabilis jalapa and Beauveria bassiana, both individually and in combination, on the mortality of 3rd instar S. frugiperda larvae. Materials and Methods: This study tested various treatments on 3rd instar larvae of S. frugiperda, including M. jalapa extracts at different concentrations (0.1-0.8%), B. bassiana alone and combinations of both. Larval mortality was measured over 72 hrs and the data were analyzed using linear regression to determine the efficacy of each treatment. Results: The M. jalapa alone resulted in mortality rates ranging from 27 to 40%, while B. bassiana alone caused 20% mortality. The combination of M. jalapa and B. bassiana showed a significant increase in mortality, ranging from 27 to 60%, with the highest synergistic effect observed in the combination of M. jalapa F2 0.4 and B. bassiana (60%). Linear regression analysis showed a strong positive relationship between treatment levels and mortality percentage with an R2 of 0.734. Conclusion: The combination of M. jalapa and B. bassiana is effective in increasing the mortality of S. frugiperda larvae, demonstrating great potential as a sustainable biological control method. This approach not only reduces reliance on chemical pesticides but also mitigates the risk of pest resistance, making it an environmentally friendly and sustainable solution for managing corn crop pests. © 2024 Andi Irma Suryani et al.
Doctoral Program of Agricultural Science, Post Graduate School, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, 90245, Indonesia; Department of Biology, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia; Department of Plants Pests and Diseases, Faculty of Agriculture, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, 90245, Indonesia
