Impact of biopesticide inundation on the diversity of soybean pests and diseases

Abstract Soybean pests and diseases are quite abundant and have shown the resistance to chemical pesticides. Biopesticides are biological agents derived from plant metabolites and microorganisms. They are effective for controlling pests and diseases as well as suppress the resistance and resurgence. This research aimed to study the impact of biopesticide inundation on soybean pests and diseases. The study was conducted in Banyuwangi, East Java. Biopesticides applied were Trichoderma harzianum (Trichol 8), neem seed powder, entomopathogenic virus SlNPV (Virgra), entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana, and eugenol from clove oil. The results showed that biopesticide applied by inundation can suppress Sclerotium rolfsii, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, Xanthomonas axonopodis, and Spodoptera litura. The application of biopesticides by inundation is safer and can maintain the survival of natural enemies and can reduce yield losses. However, the application of chemical can kill natural enemies. Oxyopes sp., Coccinella sp., Sycanus sp., Andrallus sp., Rhynocoris sp., Paederus sp., Entomobrya sp., Aphidius sp., Binodoxys sp., Encarsia sp., Trichogramma sp., and Telenomus sp. which survived on field applied with biopesticides is quite abundant. Therefore, natural enemies have a great opportunity as biological agents for controlling soybean pests and diseases and as an alternative to replace the use of chemical.