Has anyone tried Beauveria bassiana fungus for plant pests
- Thread starter Letstrip
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DCcan
Well-Known Member
You can check the viability of spores, put some on damp concrete or growing medium, should see a bloom cover it in <48 hrs.
Liquid solutions don't last as long as the powders, especially thru the warm months.
What was the target pest and rate of application, spray interval, and did you mix it with a secondary pesticide for synergistic mode of action?
lets see here.
I had the powder and the liquid. I had the powder twice and liquid twice. I cant remember how often I sprayed. maybe weekly in veg until week 6? left residue on the leaves from the solution. I used a water pump, water hose and watering wand that had a mist setting to get through the entire room
I watered into the soil everytime I watered.
I never mixed with any other pesticides. Only nutrients. earlier grows where dynagro, then later grows just fish fertilizer as needed.
I poured pure solution on a dead june beetle to see if it colonize, it didnt. However the video I watched it was used only on the larvae.
either way i never bought it again. The pest was fungus gnats and maybe winged aphids that came with foxfarm bagged soil.
I dont plan on buying again going to go with predators toads beetles and mites
DCcan
Well-Known Member
It should bloom on any damp cool organic material out of sunlight, if it's active. It goes dormant pretty much above 90f or low 50's.
Depending on temp/ humidity, the mortality rate can vary on different bugs and growth stages.
40-60% mortality when used alone on some bugs isn't unusual in field studies. 80%+ isn't unusual either, so it varies.
Using it in conjuction with other agents , like azadiractin, then mixing it with pyrethrin the next time, or Grandevo and Venerate rotations will get the mortality rates way up there. They can't recover from one, when another one hits them.
Even spraying neem one week, B bassiana the next works well, that's effective.
Prefer the powder, longer shelf life & the kaolin clay it's mixed with has it's own benefits. That's the residue you probably saw.
Depending on temp/ humidity, the mortality rate can vary on different bugs and growth stages.
40-60% mortality when used alone on some bugs isn't unusual in field studies. 80%+ isn't unusual either, so it varies.
Using it in conjuction with other agents , like azadiractin, then mixing it with pyrethrin the next time, or Grandevo and Venerate rotations will get the mortality rates way up there. They can't recover from one, when another one hits them.
Even spraying neem one week, B bassiana the next works well, that's effective.
Prefer the powder, longer shelf life & the kaolin clay it's mixed with has it's own benefits. That's the residue you probably saw.