Studies on the effect of entomopathogenic fungus Aspergillus niger on insect pest Dysdercus koenigii Heteroptera Pyrrhocoridae

Abstract

Dysdercus koenigii is one of the atrocious insect species attacking specifically the cotton plant. This belongs to the family Pyrrhocoridae, suborder Heteroptera, and order Hemiptera. However, they are polyphagous as they thrive well on okra, sambhal, hollyhock, and plants of the Malvaceae family, etc. The adults and nymphs feed on the emerging cotton bolls and the cotton seeds as they grow older and thereby transmit the fungus, Eremothecium gossypii, which stains the lint. If their management is not done regularly, the crop yield may be hampered badly. newline