Two Okanagan isolates of Beauveria bassiana (which showed good efficacy against two grape damaging cutworm species, Noctua comes and Abagrotis orbis) and several coastal B. bassiana isolates were studied for efficacy against three additional lepidopteran pests in field vegetable and berry crops. Results showed that the two Okanagan isolates had good efficacy against the pests, along with 2 coastal isolates, and therefore appear to have sufficient promise to continue to develop.

This project proposes will (1) further study efficacy against one pest, Cabbage looper on a greenhouse brassica crop, (2) screen Okanagan and coastal isolates against two species of aphid, (3) begin collecting data on the effects of the B. bassiana isolates on non-target organisms, a water plant Lemna minor and a beneficial parasitic wasp Trichogramma sibericum to begin providing data for eventual registration. Production optimization trials will continue using at least 2 amendments to the solid substrate. All data generated will be of sufficient quality to use for registration purposes.