Aims: Cruciferae crops failure such as cabbage generally due to heavy attacks by of Crocidolomia pavonana larvae. Metarhizium anisopliae is a species of fungus that can infect more than 200 insect pests including C. pavonana larvae. However, the direct application of M. anisopliae spore in the field is susceptible to UV rays from the sun, which can decrease the efficiency of M. anisopliae. Thus, this study aims to investigate the encapsulation performance of M. anisopliae spore with zeolite and magnesium silicate nanoparticles in terms of mortality and lethal time against 3 rd instar C. pavonana larvae. Methodology and results: Zeolite and magnesium silicate nanoparticles were chosen because they are non-toxic, environmentally friendly and able to maintain moisture, so that they are best used as protective materials for spores. The experiment was designed by Randomized Block Design (RBD) with a single factor. The obtained results showed that encapsulation of M. anisopliae spores with zeolite nanoparticles coating agent increased the mortality rate to 92.5% and accelerated the lethal time up to 1.075 days compared to only spore correspondingly 27.5% and 2.235 days. The M. anisopliae spores encapsulated with magnesium silicate nanoparticles also increased the mortality to 85.0% and accelerated the larval lethal time up to 1.150 days. Conclusion, significance and impact of study Metarhizium anisopliae spores that encapsulated with zeolite nanoparticles coating received higher mortality and faster lethal time to C. pavonana compared to those encapsulated with magnesium silicate nanoparticles. The encapsulation formulation of these two coatings can be used as bioinsecticide in controlling C. pavonana larvae.
Metarhizium