The Effectiveness of Local Beauveria bassiana in Controlling Planthopper Pests in an Environmentally Friendly Agricultural System

Brown planthopper ( Nilaparvata lugens ) is one of the most destructive pests in tropical rice farming ecosystems. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Beauveria bassiana local isolates as a biological control agent in an environmentally friendly rice cultivation system. The field experiment was conducted using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with five dose treatments (0, 1×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 1×10⁸, and 1×10⁹ spores/mL) and five replications. The parameters observed included planthopper mortality levels, population density, attack intensity, and rice yield. The ANOVA and DMRT results (p < 0.01) showed that all treatments had a significant effect on all parameters. Planthopper mortality reached more than 84% on the 28th day, accompanied by a consistent decrease in population and attack intensity. Rice productivity increased from 4.5 tons/ha in the control to more than 6 tons/ha in the treatment. Interestingly, the medium dose was nearly as effective as the high dose after sufficient incubation. These findings confirm that local B. bassiana is practical and applicable as a biological agent, supporting sustainable agriculture principles and potentially reducing reliance on synthetic pesticides in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs.