https://jopr.mpob.gov.my Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:24:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/identification-of-the-oil-palm-bagworm-imahasena-corbettii-tams-lepidoptera-psychidae-via-molecular-techniques-and-its-biocontrol-assay-using-ibacillus-thuringiensisi/ Tue, 08 Aug 2023 06:50:36 +0000 https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/?p=13022 The larvae of the bagworm Mahasena corbetti Tams (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) cause significant yield losses by defoliation of the oil palm crop in Malaysia. This necessitates the development of an effective and sustainable control strategies against this pest. The objective of this study was to identify M. corbetti via molecular techniques and evaluate the potential of a local strain of Bacillus thuringiensis (MPOB Bt1), as a biocontrol agent for the pest. Morphological and molecular analysis was performed to identify M. corbetti, using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene for genetic identification. The results showed that M. corbetti isolate SH01 (GenBank accession number MN373269) had a high degree of similarity (98.52%, 0.0 E-value) with the COI gene of M. corbetti voucher GB270DN1795 (GenBank accession number MG574312) collected in India and 100% BOLD similarities with the COI gene of M. corbetti from Singapore (BOLD ID PSYCH113-12). Laboratory bioassay showed 100% mortality of M. corbetti larvae three days after treatment with MPOB Bt1 (108 spores/mL). The results demonstrate the potential of MPOB Bt1 as an environmentally friendly biopesticide against M. corbetti in oil palm, but optimisation and efficacy in other pests require further research. Furthermore, biocontrol can be used as part of an integrated pest management program against bagworms and other lepidopteran pests.

]]> https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/pathogenicity-of-granule-formulations-of-metarhizium-anisopliae-against-the-larvae-of-the-oil-palm-rhinoceros-beetle-oryctes-rhinoceros-l/ Sat, 13 Nov 2021 15:29:19 +0000 https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/V2/?p=9289 Granule formulations consisting of mycelia and spores of Metarhizium anisopliae var. major as the active ingredient were produced and tested against the larvae of Oryctes rhinoceros. The effect of the medium pH on the production of mycelia was investigated, and the granule compositions were optimized. The fungus produced higher yields of mycelial pellets (0.58 g) at pH=8 as compared to pH=5, 6 or 7. Granules prepared from mycelia with the growing medium (G+MM) improved fungal growth (100%) and sporulation (87.2%) as compared to granules prepared from the mycelia alone (G+M) (growth and sporulation, 62.4% and 47.6%, respectively). The amounts of ingredients, such as kaolin and rice bran used in making the granules, were then optimized. The weight of granules increased as the amount of kaolin and rice bran increased, but granule quality was reduced. The highest quality granules (with growth 98.5%, sporulation 88.6% and dry weight 1249 g) were prepared with 925 g kaolin and 400 g rice bran. The pathogenicity of the G+MM granules was tested against the third instar larvae of O. rhinoceros. The test showed that at 20 days after treatment (DAT), treatment with rates of 1.0 g and 2.0 g granules/box caused 90% mortality, which was as high as with the treatment using pure spore solutions (96%). The G+MM granules produced more spores and more quickly than granules made from spores (G+Sp). Both types of granules produced 0.42-6.60 x 10⁶ spores/granule. Results of the bioassay indicated that application of G+MM and G+Sp at rates of 3 g, 6 g and 9 g killed 100% the third instar larvae as early as at 18 DAT. Infection level increased as the application rate increased. G+MM and G+Sp applied at 9 g/box caused the highest infection of 93.3% in the larvae. The potential use of the granule formulation to control O. rhinoceros in the field was also discussed.

]]> https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/trap-for-the-auto-dissemination-of-metarhizium-anisopliae-in-the-management-of-rhinoceros-beetle-oryctes-rhinoceros/ Sat, 13 Nov 2021 08:08:58 +0000 https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/V2/?p=9059 An inoculation trap for the auto dissemination of spores of Metarhizium anisopliae for the management of Oryctes rhinoceros in the field was designed and tested. The efficiency of the inoculation trap in capturing the adult rhinoceros beetles was found to be as good as the commercial pail type trap. The trap capture rate was 2.5 adults per trap per night (a/t/n), no different (at P>0.05) from the capture rate by the pail type trap (2.4 a/t/n). A performance test showed that 66.7% of the trapped adults that escaped from the inoculation trap were subsequently confirmed dead due to infection by the fungus. Laboratory tests also found that the infected adults had disseminated the spores to the breeding site, killing 91.7% of the larvae by fungal infection. The mortalities of the released inoculated adults were between 63% and 69%, due to infection by M. anisopliae. A field test showed that the percentage of trapped adults leaving the trap was between 85% and 95%. Both rates of spore solution (at 2 and 4 g litre^-1) caused high mortality to adults within the period of 15-30 days after trapping (DAT), and complete mortality was recorded at 45 DAT. Some 75% to 90% of the dead adults were confirmed to be infected by M. anisopliae. The density of viable spores collected from the soil in the trapping region showed an increase, suggesting that the M. anisopliae had been established in the breeding sites of the beetle.

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