Abstract
Ophicordyceps is a genus of fungi that grow on insects. In this paper we report for the first time the occurrence of Ophicordyceps nutans Pat. a species belonging to this entomopathogenic fungi group in Kanger Valley National Park in Bastar District of Chhattisgarh in Central India. The fruiting body or ascocarp of O. nutans was found in Halyomorpha halys, brown marmorated stink bug—an insect pest. The study highlighted the impact of O. nutans on the host insect and the damage it causes in trees and crops. The local people use this fungus in traditional medicine as an immune stimulator and also as a pest-control agent to protect crop and tree from stink bug. Therefore, it appears that O. nutans possesses great potential to be developed as natural medicine and bio-pesticide to save the agricultural crops and forest trees.
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Acknowledgement
Authors are highly acknowledged to National Centre for Natural Resource, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh for their support to complete this survey and research.
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Paul, J.S., Jadhav, S.K., Quraishi, A. et al. Ferret out a Natural Bio-Pesticide: Ophicordyceps nutans in Central India and Its Interaction Analysis with Tree Stink Bug. Proc Zool Soc 73, 316–319 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12595-020-00328-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12595-020-00328-4