Studies on Fusarium Oxysporum Schlect infecting rice brown plant hopper Nilaparvata Lugens Stal

Abstract

Growth and sporulation of Fusarium oxysporum Schlect, an entomogenous fungus of the rice plant hopper Nilaparvata lugens Stal were superior in oat meal agar closely followed by potato dextrose agar. Czapeck's and Richards' agar media were lesssuitable. In all these media, only microconidia were produced. Maximum number of spores were produced on the fifth day, after which the spore production decreased. Virulence was highest in spores of four and five-day-old cultures and spores of cultures more than five day old showed decreasing virulence.