Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Efficacy and Mode of Application of Local Beauveria bassiana Isolates in the Control of the Tea Weevil

Evelyn Cheramgoi, Fred M. E. Wanjala, Vincent Sudoi, John Wanyoko, Lizzy Mwamburi, Robert Nyukuri

Annual Research & Review in Biology · pp. 1–8 · Published 2 Apr 2016

10.9734/ARRB/2016/23235

Abstract

The tea crop in Kenya ubiquitously is exposed to biotic and abiotic stresses which can be devastating. This includes damage by five species of tea weevils. Tea weevils reported to occur in Kenya include, the Tea Root Weevil (Aperitmetus brunneus) [Hust], Nematocerus Weevil (Nematocerus sulcalus), Systates Weevil (Systates sp.), Kangaita/Kimari Weevil (Entypotrachelus meyeri) [micans/Kolbe] and Nyambene Weevils (Sprigodes mixtus) [Hust], among others, Adult weevils damage tea by defoliating nursery, newly established and mature tea orchard. Kimari/Kangaita weevils are documented to occur throughout the tea growing areas of Kenya. Occasional isolated epidemic outbreaks occur causing variable level of damage by defoliating mature tea bushes. Studies were conducted to determine the efficacy of two Beauveria bassiana Isolate compared with a pesticide, Karate, which contains Lambdacyholothrin as the active ingredient, in two different major tea weevils occurring geographic regions namely; Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Igembe Factory catchment, Giciaro tea Farm of Meru District and Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Mununga Factory catchment. Mr. Njogu Kiruki’s farm. The fields were laid out in a random complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The treatments were of two efficacious locally isolated B. bassiana isolates applied at a rate of 1x1013 conidia/ha applied with two mode of application; a Solid state fermented mixture in wheat bran and a spores liquid formulation, Karate which was sprayed on trash and the control. The effect of weevils on productivity of tea was significant with reduction in yield of between 30-33%. Similarly, Data for damage scores, percentage damaged leaves and canopy cover varied significantly (P<0.05) with the control having the highest damage (57%compared to 52%) and reduced canopy cover. Mature leaves showed a higher percentage of damaged leaves compared to pluckable leaves The performance of B. bassiana isolates, applied in a solid substrate or sprayed as conidia on the foliage, was comparable to that of Karate at the rate of 2L/ha. This study suggests the possibilities of the use of B. bassiana isolates to control tea weevils using either mode of application.

Tea weevils Beauveria bassiana control application mode.

References (13)

  1. 1 Use of hyphomycetous fungi for managing insect pests. [DOI]
  2. 2 Evaluation of the Entomopathogenic Fungi Beauveria bassiana and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus for Microbial Control of the Silverleaf Whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii [DOI]
  3. 3 The Physiology of Tropical Crop Production
  4. 4 Safety of fungal biocontrol agents. [DOI]
  5. 5 Genetic variability of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae isolates obtained from the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey [DOI]
  6. 6 Potential of Beauveria bassiana (Hyphomycetes: Moniliales) for controlling the white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi (Col., Curculionidae) [DOI]
  7. 7 Assessment of Beauveria bassiana Sprays for Control of Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) on Crucifers [DOI]
  8. 8 Effects of Beauveria bassiana on Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae) Feeding and Oviposition [DOI]
  9. 9 Evaluation of entomopathogenic fungi against the sycamore lace bug, Corythucha ciliata (Say) (Hemiptera: Tingidae) [DOI]
  10. 10 Food Consumption by Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Larvae Infected with Entomophaga maimaiga (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) [DOI]
  11. 11 Comparative Study of the Efficacy of Entomopathogenic Fungi, Chemicals and Botanical Pesticides in the Management of Cotton Pests and Their Natural Enemies in Benin
  12. 12 Soybean leaf consumption by Nomuraea rileyi (Fungi: Deuteromycotina)-infected Plathypena scabra (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae [DOI]
  13. 13 Evaluation of an entomopathogenic fungus for control of tea weevil (Entypotrachelus meyeri micans) in Kenya: preliminary indications

Cited by 17

Short-Term Feeding Disruption Effects and Efficacy of Six Biopesticides Against Empoasca onukii (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Zhifei Jia, Chunling Yang, Yilan Liu · Biology · 2026

Effects of microbial biocontrol agents on tea plantation microecology and tea plant metabolism: a review

Yixin Xie, Chun-Xia Cao, Da-Ye Huang · Frontiers in Plant Science · 2025

Entomopathogen-based biological control of looper pests (old looper, Biston (= Buzura) suppressaria and emerging looper, Hyposidra Talaca): an in vitro sustainable approach for tea pest management

P. N. Bhattacharyya, Bhaskar Sarma, S. R. Sarmah · International Journal of Tropical Insect Science · 2024

Perspectives of Beauveria bassiana, an entomopathogenic fungus for the control of insect-pests in tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze]: opportunities and challenges

P. Bhattacharyya, S. R. Sarmah, Somnath Roy · International Journal of Tropical Insect Science · 2022

Significance of Microbes and their Role in Pest Management in Tea Ecosystem

B. Deka, S. Sarkar, Debrishi Modak · International Journal of Tea Science · 2022

Current status and prospect of entomopathogenic fungi for controlling insect and mite pests in tea plantations

Feiying Yang, Yuehua Wu, Fang Dong · Journal of applied entomology · 2022

Potential of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae s.l. for control of red spider mite, Oligonychus coffeae Nietner on tea crop

B. Deka, A. Babu, A. Pandey · International Journal of Acarology · 2022

Beauveria bassiana: as a potential microbial biocontrol agent for tea mosquito bug, Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse (Hemiptera: Miridae) in Dooars and Darjeeling, India

B. Deka, A. Babu, Arulmarianathan John Peter · Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control · 2021

Potential of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae s.l. in controlling live-wood eating termite, Microtermes obesi (Holmgren) (Blattodea: Termitidae) infesting tea crop

B. Deka, A. Babu, Arulmarianathan John Peter · Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control · 2021

Do the beneficial fungi manage phytosanitary problems in the tea agro-ecosystem?

A. Pandey, B. Deka, R. Varshney · BioControl (Dordrecht) · 2021

Showing 10 of 17 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

57

Page views

0

PDF downloads

20

Outbound clicks

17

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.