Abstract
Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are potential biological pest controller which can regulate an extensive range of bollworms larvae in both Agricultural and Horticultural crops. Spodoptera litura is a commercial pest of diverse field crops comprising cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis). Current inspections were carried out to determine their impact on larval mortality, pupal and adult emergence by exposing three field strains of S. litura (Faisalabad, Chiniot and Sargodha), under laboratory conditions. Both NPV andBt were applied using diet incorporation method. Two concentrations of a NPV based formulation (Somestar): 1x10(7) and 1x10(8)POB/ml, and three concentrations of a Bt based formulation (Dipel): viz., 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 mu g/g, were applied alone and in different combinations against 2nd and 4th instar larvae of S. litura. The highest mortality of larvae was recorded after 7 days of application when both insect pathogens were used in combination (SpltNPV 1 x10(8)POB/m1 +Bt 0.1 mu g/g) i.e. 85.25, 79.31 and 92.11% mortality (in case of 2nd instar larvae) and 70.42, 63.64 and 80.88% (in case 4th instar larvae) of Faisalabad, Chiniot and Sargodha's population of S. litura, respectively. This study could be helpful to use NPV and Bt in intensive pest management under field conditions to control S. litura on cauliflower.