The Synergy Effects of Mixed Treatment with Tannic Acid and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki KB100 against Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki KB100 isolated from the domestic soil have the most effective activity against the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua larva. The tannic acid as protease inhibitor might be increased the efficacy of sublethal concentrations of B. thuringiensis. The tannic acid was identified as a protease inhibitor that could increased the efficacy of sublethal concentrations of B. thuringiensis. Mixture of B. thuringiensis and tannic acid was investigated the mortality of S. exigua larva in the laboratory and field. When B. thuringiensis treated to 2nd larva of S. exigua, mortality was shown 54.4%. However, mixtures of B. thuringiensis with 4 and 40 mM tannic acid were increased mortalities to 2nd larva of S. exigua as 64.0 and 95.5%, respectively. Also, synergy effect of mixture of B. thuringiensis and 40 mM tannic acid was increased the mortality of S. exigua 3rd larva to 93.3%, even though 60.0% mortality with only B. thuringiensis treatment. On the other hand, the mortality of mixture with B. thuringiensis and 80 mM tannic acid was 53.3% lower than B. thuringiensis single treatment. In the welsh onion field, the accumulated mortalities of 3 times replicated with mixture of B. thuringiensis and 40 mM tannic acid were 83.9, 89.4 and 66.8% compare with 61.8, 80.4 and 47.3% as only B. thuringiensis treatment, respectively.