Pathogenicity, Ovicidal Action, and Median Lethal Concentrations (LC50) of Entomopathogenic Fungi against Exotic Spiralling Whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus Russell
Biological control using entomopathogenic fungi could be a promising alternative to chemical control. Entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin, Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimmerm.) Zare and Gams, and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (Wize) Brown and Smith, were tested for their pathogenicity, ovicidal effect, and median lethal concentrations (LC50) against exotic spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus Russell. The applications were made at the rate of 2 × 109？conidia？mL？1 for evaluating the pathogenicity and ovicidal effect of entomopathogenic fungi against A. dispersus. The results of pathogenicity test showed that P. fumosoroseus (P1 strain) was highly pathogenic to A. dispersus recording 100% mortality at 15 days after treatment (DAT). M. anisopliae (M2 strain) had more ovicidal effect causing 37.3% egg mortality at 8 DAT. However, L. lecanii (L1 strain) caused minimum egg hatchability (23.2%) at 10 DAT as compared to control (92.6%). The lowest LC50 produced by P. fumosoroseus (P1 strain) as 8.189 × 107？conidia？mL？1 indicated higher virulence against A. dispersus. Hence, there is potential for use of entomopathogenic fungi in the field conditions as an alternate control method in combating the insect pests and other arthropod pests since they are considered natural mortality agents and are environmentally safe. 1. Introduction The spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus Russell (Homoptera, Aleyrodidae), the native of the Caribbean region of Central America [1], is a highly polyphagous pest, which has extensive host range covering 481 plants belonging to 295 genera from 90 families of vegetables, fruits, and ornamentals trees [2]. A loss of 80% in fruit yield recorded in guava infested by A. dispersus in Taiwan [3] and A. dispersus caused yield reduction up to 53% in cassava [4]. The nymphs are covered with heavy waxy flocculent materials and waxy threads offering a great defense against synthetic chemical insecticides and resulting in poor control of the pest [5]. One of the potential methods in A. dispersus management is the use of microbial biocontrol (MBCAs) agents as the natural enemies of the pest population devastate pests with no hazard effects on human health and environment. As the microbial biocontrol agents have complex mode of action, it is very difficult for a pest to develop resistance against MBCAs. The present MBCAs are viruses, bacteria, nematodes, and fungi and they are used throughout the world with great advantage and success. But fungal biocontrol agents are the
References
[1]
L. M. Russell, “A new species of Aleurodicus douglas and two close relatives,” The Florida Entomologist, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 47–55, 1965.
[2]
M. V. Srinivasa, “Host plants of the spiraling whitefly Aleurodicus dispersus Russell (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae),” Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 79–105, 2000.
[3]
H. C. Wen, C. H. Tung, and C. N. Chen, “Yield loss and control of spiraling whitefly (Aleurodicus dispersus Russell),” Journal of Agricultural Research of China, vol. 44, pp. 147–156, 1995.
[4]
B. Geetha, Biology and management of spiralling whitefly, aleurodicus dispersus russell (Homoptera : Aleyrodidae) [Ph.D. thesis], Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India, 2000.
[5]
D. F. Waterhouse and K. R. Norris, Biological Control: Pacific Prospects—Supplement 1, vol. 12, ACIAR Monograph, Canberra, Australia, 1989.
[6]
C. Wang and R. J. St. Leger, “A scorpion neurotoxin increases the potency of a fungal insecticide,” Nature Biotechnology, vol. 25, pp. 1455–1456, 2007.
[7]
R. J. St. Leger and C. Wang, “Entomopathogenic fungi and the genomic era,” in Insect Pathogens: Molecular Approaches and Techniques, S. P. Stock, J. Vandenberg, I. Glazer, and N. Boemare, Eds., pp. 366–400, CABI, Wallingford, UK, 1st edition, 2010.
[8]
C. Wang and R. J. St. Leger, “The Metarhizium anisopliae perilipin homolog MPL1 regulates lipid metabolism, appressorial turgor pressure, and virulence,” Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 282, no. 29, pp. 21110–21115, 2007.
[9]
S. S. Qazi and G. G. Khachatourians, “Insect pests of Pakistan and their management practices: prospects for the use of entomopathogenic fungi,” Biopesticides International, vol. 1, pp. 13–24, 2005.
[10]
M. B. Thomas and A. F. Read, “Can fungal biopesticides control malaria?” Nature Reviews Microbiology, vol. 5, pp. 377–383, 2007.
[11]
Y. Fan, W. Fang, S. Guo et al., “Increased insect virulence in Beauveria bassiana strains overexpressing an engineered chitinase,” Applied Environmental Microbiology, vol. 73, no. 1, pp. 295–302, 2007.
[12]
A. E. Hajek and R. J. St. Leger, “Interactions between fungal athogenesis and insect hosts,” Annual Review of Entomology, vol. 39, pp. 293–322, 1994.
[13]
M. R. D. de Faria and S. P. Wraight, “Mycoinsecticides and Mycoacaricides: a comprehensive list with worldwide coverage and international classification of formulation types,” Biological Control, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 237–256, 2007.
[14]
W. S. Abbott, “A method of computing the effectiveness of an insecticide,” Journal of Economic Entomology, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 265–267, 1925.
[15]
D. J. Finney, Probit Analysis, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA, 3rd edition, 1971.
[16]
P. B. Avery, J. Faull, and M. S. J. Simmonds, “Effects of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus and Encarsia formosa on the control of the greenhouse whitefly: preliminary assessment of a compatability study,” BioControl, vol. 53, no. 2, pp. 303–316, 2008.
[17]
A. G？k？e and M. K. Er, “Pathogenicity of Paecilomyces spp. to the glasshouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, with some observations on the fungal infection process,” Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 331–339, 2005.
[18]
S. P. Wraight, R. I. Carruthersb, C. A. Bradleyc et al., “Pathogenicity of the entomopathogenic fungi Paecilomyces spp. and Beauveria bassiana against the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii,” Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, vol. 71, no. 3, pp. 217–226, 1998.
[19]
J. Eyal, M. A. Mabud, K. L. Fischbein, J. F. Walter, L. S. Osborne, and Z. Landa, “Assessment of Beauveria bassiana Nov. EO-1 strain, which produces a red pigment for microbial control,” Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 65–80, 1994.
[20]
A. Nagasi, B. L. Paster, and M. Brownsbridge, “Screening and bioassay of entomopathogenic fungi for the control of silver leaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolia,” Insect Science and Its Application, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 37–44, 1998.
[21]
J. E. Wraight and T. A. Knaf, “Evaluation of Naturalis-L for control of cotton insects,” in Proceedings of the Brighton Crop Protection Conference Pests and Diseases, vol. 1, pp. 45–52, British Crop Protection Council, Bracknell, UK, 1994.
[22]
S. P. Wraight, R. I. Carruthers, S. T. Jaronski, C. A. Bradley, C. J. Garza, and S. Galaini-Wraight, “Evaluation of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus for microbial control of the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii,” Biological Control, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 203–217, 2000.
[23]
K. Pirali-Kheirabadi, H. Haddadzadeh, M. Razzaghi-Abyaneh et al., “Biological control of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus by different strains of Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana and Lecanicillium psalliotae fungi,” Parasitology Research, vol. 100, no. 6, pp. 1297–1302, 2007.
[24]
S. Malarvannan, P. D. Murali, S. P. Shanthakumar, V. R. Prabavathy, and S. Nair, “Laboratory evaluation of the entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana against the Tobacco caterpillar, Spodoptera litura Fabricius (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera),” Journal of Biopesticides, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 126–131, 2010.
[25]
S. Saranya, R. Ushakumari, S. Jacob, and B. M. Philip, “Efficacy of different entomopathogenic fungi against cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora (Koch),” Journal of Biopesticides, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 138–142, 2010.
[26]
A. Derakshan, R. J. Rabindra, and B. Ramunujam, “Efficacy of different isolates of entomopathogenic fungi against Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus) at different temperature and humidities,” Journal of Biological Control, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 65–72, 2007.
[27]
S. Karindah, B. T. Rahardjo, and S. Santoso, “Virulence of the fungus Verticillium lecanii Zimmer Mann against Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae).,” Agrivita, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 30–34, 1996.
[28]
Smitha, Biology and management of root mealy bug on banana cultivars [Ph.D. thesis], Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, India, 2007.
[29]
Y. Q. Liu, S. S. Liu, and M. G. Feng, “Effect of Beauveria bassiana on the fecundity of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae,” Acta Phytophylacica Sinica, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 30–34, 1999.
[30]
D. Chandler, “Selection of an isolate of the insect pathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae virulent to the lettuce root aphid, Pemphigus bursarius,” Biocontrol Science and Technology, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 95–104, 1997.
