J. Bio. & Env. Sci.

2018

Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES)

ISSN: 2220-6663 (Print) 2222-3045 (Online)
Vol. 14, No. 4, p. 118-123, 2018
http://www.innspub.net

RESEARCH PAPER OPEN ACCESS

Utilization of Bacillus thuringiensis in controlling armyworms

(Spodoptera litura) on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants

Akhmad Rizali*

Department of Agroecotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Lambung Mangkurat University,

South Kalimantan, Indonesia

Article published on April 28, 2018

Key words: Bacillus thuringiensis, Armyworm, Tomato.

Abstract
Tomato plants are horticultural commodities that can provide benefits to farmers, beside the market demand
that continues to increase, the cultivation method is easy. Tomatoes are also one type of vegetable plant that
contains many vitamins and proteins that have been known by elderly people. Numerous chemical insecticides
have been used in order to control pests, which damage for agriculture. While they are too expensive in the
developing countries and harmful to both human and the environment. In addition, target insect pests rapidly
develop biological resistance especially at higher rates of application. The chemical insecticides are still
contributing to human life enormously, but they have been distributed in ecological system of organisms
including human beings because of their low specific toxicity to any organism and their low specific toxicity to
any organism and their slight decomposition in nature. An alternative control is needed with microbial
insecticide which is using B. thuringiensis B. thuringiensis used in this study is B. thuringiensis which is already
commercial.Then carried out purification as follows B. thuringiensis concentration of 5g per liter of water, 10g
per liter of water, 15g per liter of water, 20g per liter of water. In treatment B. thuringiensis10g per liter of water
can stop eating at 2 hours after application, and has been able to control as much as 75 percent.

*Corresponding Author: Akhmad Rizali  arizali25@yahoo.com

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Introduction This parasporal body is composed of proteins termed

Tomato plants are horticultural commodities that can “delta-endotoxin”, and specifically toxic to insects. In
provide benefits to farmers, beside the market addition, B. thuringiensis produce another toxins
demand that continues to increase, the cultivation namely: alpha-toxin, beta-exotoxin, and gamma-
method is easy. Tomatoes are also one type of exotoxin. All of the toxic substance may not present in
vegetable plant that contains many vitamins and the bacterium (Heimpel, 1967).
proteins that have been known by elderly people.
In another hand, Krieg (1961) has defined various
Based on data from the service of food crops and toxic substance produced B. thuringiensis as follow:
horticulture in south Kalimantan province in 2014, (a) thermolabileendotoxic; (b) thermostable
productivity of tomato plants in the region are 473 exotoxin; (c) bacillogenic antibiotic; (d) lecithinase;
tons with a harvest area of 56 ha. That means only (e) proteinase. Most strains of B. thuringiensis
8.446 tons/hectare of fresh fruit is obtained, this produce delta-endotoxin crystals toxic to
proves that there is still a lack of productivity of lepidopteran insects such as moth (Dulmage et al.,
tomato plants that are able to produce 12 1970). The objective of the studies to survey, collect
tons/hectare of fresh fruit. This is caused by the imago insect in the field, determine when the insect
presence of armyworm pest attacks which can reduce larvae stop feeding and mortality.
production (Syukur et al, 2015).
Materials and method
Numerous chemical insecticides have been used to Bacterial source
control S. litura. While chemical insecticides have B.thuringiensis used in the research is B.
knock down effect, they are too expensive harmfull to thuringiensis (Javelin WG) which has been sold in
both humans and the environment. In addition, the market, then purification is carried out.
target insect pests develop biological resistance
rapidly especially at higher rates of application. Thus, Experimental design
the increase in pesticidal application to control this The design used in this study was a completely
pest has urged to researcher to search for biological randomized design with 5 treatments and 4
control alternatives that would be a good component replications as follows:
of Integrated Pest Management. A0 : without B. thuringiensis
A1 : B. thuringiensis concentration 5 g/liter of water
Bacillus thuringiensis is a gram-positive, spore- A2 : B. thuringiensis concentration 10 g/liter of water
forming bacterium that produceparasporal crystal A3 : B. thuringiensis concentration 15 g/liter of water
during the sporulation stage. The crystal is made of A4 : B. thuringiensis concentration 20 g/liter of water
one or more proteins toxic to some insect species.
Most strains of B. thuringiensis produce delta- Rearing of Armyworm (S. litura)
endotoxin crystal toxic to lepidopteran insect such as The field-collected larvae were placed in plastic trays
moth (Dulmage, 1971). (13.5x22x6cm). For adequate ventilation, two 4- x 2-
inch holes were cut out from they tray covered over
In recent year, the need for environmentally safe which nylon screens were fastened. The bottom of
pesticides has encouraged the search B.thuringiensis these plastic trays were lined with strips of tissue
from the soil as an insect pathogen and as possible paper which serve as moisture absorbent and
agent to use in the control of theC. Binotallis larvae.B. pupation medium for fully-grown larvae.
thuringiensis is a gram-positive soil bacterium, and
produce a crystalline inclusion body during This technique also facilitated tray cleaning. In some
sporulation (Bulla et al., 1980). cases however, a first and`second instar larvae were

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placed in one tray. The some procedure was followed Results and discussion
for the third and forth instar larvae. The larvae were Stop feeding
provided daily with fresh cabbage leaves. Three- to Based on the test results on stop feeding, it was
four-day old larvae of the insect were transferred into shown that the application of B. thuringensis at a
separate rearing trays thickly lined with tissue paper concentration of 10g per liter of water was not
with soil on top which served as pupation sites. The significantly different from the treatment of B.
pupae were collected and kept in clean petri dishes thuringiensis 15g per liter of water and 20g per liter
until emergence. From this rearing, there were 200 of water but very different from the treatment of 5g
instars 3 used as experimental material, then the per liter of water and 0g per liter of water (Table 1.). In
larvae were fasted for 3 days and then infested with the results of the observation shown that B.
10 larvae to tomato plants. After B. thuringiensis thuringiensis 10g perliter of water was able to stop
application by spraying on experimental plants. eating all armyworm at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 hour after
application, and this procedure is followed in B.
Growing Media thuringiensis of 15 and 20g per liter of water. this is

Planting media transfer into small polybags 8x9cm cause by gave concentration of medium doses to high
size, then F1 varieties of tomato seeds sown into doses at the treatment. It is possible that the number of
polybags that have been filled with media, after that spores consumed by the test insect is more rapid and
the seeds that are 1 week old can be cultured on the developing in their body. Causing the larva to stop
bag that has been prepared as treatment material. eating due to poisoning. Steinkraus et al. (2018), Spray
table tests with B. thuringiensis (Javelin WG on wheat

The cage is made of gauze with a wire frame, the size leaves against armyworm, Pseudaletia unipuncta
of the cage is 30x100cm, the gauze cage is used to showed that 1st and 3rd instars had LC50s of 0.09 and
cover polybags containing tomato plants, in order to 0.55kg per ha, respectively, 7d after treatment, at the
prevent that attack of other plant pest organisms. higher rate stop feeding and mortality at 2 days 76%

Table 1. Effect of B.thuringiensis concentration to armywormsstof feeding.

Stop Feeding (tail)
Treatment
1 HAA 2 HAA 3 HAA 4 HAA 5 HAA 6 HAA 7HSA
B. thuringiensis
0 0 1 2 2 3 3
0 g/liter of water
B. thuringiensis
2 2 3 5 5 7 7
5 g/liter of water
B. thuringiensis
3 7 9 10 10 10 10
10 g/liter of water
B. thuringiensis
5 10 10 10 10 10 10
15 g/liter of water
B. thuringiensis
9 10 10 10 10 10 10
20 g/liter of water
Description: HAA = Hour After Application.

Symtomatology Mortality
Observation on of B. thuringiensis from tomato Based on observations showing that B. thuringiensis
plants on armyworms showed that infected insect from 1-7 days after application had a significant effect
larvae turned yellowish at the middle and hind parts on larval mortality. On 2 days after the B.
of the abdomen (Fig. 1B). The integument also turned thuringiensis treatment, concentration of 10g per liter
brown to black as the infection progressed and the of water can kill 75% of the armyworm larva, followed
body became sticky because of oral and anal by treatment on the the third day to the seven days
discharges. Dead larvae become shrunken and later after application (Table 2.). Giving B. thuringiensis
turned black with putrid odor (Rizali, 2017). with a concentration of 10, 15, and 20g per liter of

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water has been able to kill all test insects when

compared with without giving B. thuringiensis
(control). According to Hasinu (2009) that the higher
the concentration, the more spores there will be, so
the number of spores consumed in the test insect will
be greater. Aguskrisno (2011), stated that protein
crystals consumed by insect will dissolve in alkaline
environments in the intestines of insects. In target
insects, these proteins will be activated by insect
protein digesting enzymes, in the end the insects will
be anal discharges until dead larvae. Fig. 1. Healthy insect and infected insect

Table 2. Effect of B. thuringiensis concentration to armyworms mortality.

% Mortality
Treatment
1 DAA 2 DAA 3 DAA 4 DAA 5 DAA 6 DAA 7 DAA
B. thuringiensis
0 0 0 1 2 2 2
0 g/liter of water
B. thuringiensis
0 3 22 25 27 30 35
5 g/liter of water
B. thuringiensis
0 75 90 95 100 100 100
10 g/liter of water
B. thuringiensis
0 100 100 100 100 100 100
15 g/liter of water
B. thuringiensis
0 100 100 100 100 100 100
20 g/liter of water
Description: DAA= Day After Application.

Conclusion Baba F, Asano S, Iizuka T. 1990. Purification of

On 2 days after the B. thuringiensis treatment, crystals from Bacillus thurigiensisby using Percoll. J.
concentration of 10g per liter of water B. thuringiensis as Sci. Jpn 59, 487-489.
a microbial insecticide effective to control armyworms
Balarman K, Hoti SL, Manonmani LM. 1981. An
larvae. So itcan kill 75% of the armyworms larvae.
Idigenous virulent strain of Bacillus thuringiensis,
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