STUDIES ON THE ENDOPHYTIC PROPERTIES OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI, BEAUVERIA BASSIANA (BALSAMO) AGAINST BANANA PSEUDOSTEM WEEVIL, ODOIPOROUS LONGICOLLIS OLIVIER

Beauveria baisiona (Balsam()) Vuillemin, is a highly effective entomopathogenic for a wide range of insects, gaining commercial importance as a fungal bio pesticide. Artificial inoculation of entomopathoeenic B. hassiana as endophyte was successful in tissue culture banana plants. A number of studies have revealed the potential of B. bassiana for use against the banana pseudostem weevil, Odoiporous longeoilis in banana but the conventional application method of B. bassiana is impractical in terms of its cost of application. This can be significantly reduced by establishing its endophytic action through artificial inoculation in banana and plantain (Musa sp.) tissue culture. Based on this concept. a preliminary study was carried out under laboratory condition on the method of applicaiion of B. bassiana to establish its endophytic action, colonization rate at different parts of plant applied in various dosages and finally causing the mortality of banana weevil. The results revealed that,B. bassiana could be re-isolated from plant tissue up to four months when tissue-culture plantiets were exposed by injected, solid substrate and dipping method in a spore suspensioa of B. bassianu. The highest colonization of B. bassiana was recorded in the rhizome dippim.r method (77%) compared to injection method (59%) and solid substrate method (50%). Similarly, colonization Tate was increased proportionately with an increase of dosage and time of exposure.