Control of Leaf-footed Bug Leptoglossus zonatus and Shield-backed Bug Pachycoris klugii with Entomopathogenic Fungi

The pathogenicity of three isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuil. and one isolate of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorok. (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) was assessed in the laboratory against adults of the leaf-footed bug Leptoglossus zonatus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Coreidae) and the shield-backed bug Pachycoris klugii Burmeister (Heteroptera: Scutelleridae), the two most frequent pest species in physic nut ( Jatropha curcas L., Euphorbiaceae) plantations in Nicaragua. In a dipping bioassay, the median lethal concentration (LC) of the most efficient strain, M. anisopliae NB, was determined as 4.34 106 50 conidia/ml for adult P. klugii . In a field trial, a scheduled high-volume spray regime using B. bassiana increased fruit yield by 28%, and was more effective than malathion or an aqueous extract of ground neem seeds. The effectiveness of M. anisopliae was further tested in field cages covering entire trees and containing a predetermined number of insects. Mineral oilbased ultra-low volume controlled droplet applications of M. anisopliae at a rate of 1 1010 conidia/tree were made using hand-held Micron ULVA + sprayers. The corrected mortalities ranged from 65% in P. klugii to 94% in L. zonatus.     

A Device for Infecting Adult Tsetse Flies,Glossinaspp., with an Entomopathogenic Fungus in the Field

Various chamber designs for infecting natural populations ofGlossina pallidipes, G. longipennis,andG. fuscipes fuscipeswith the entomopathogenic fungusMetarhizium anisopliaewere tested in the field. All three species of tsetse flies entered the chambers and became infected with the fungus. Mortality attributed to infection byM. anisopliaeranged from 0 to 76% forG. pallidipes/G. longipennisand from 0 to 80% forG. fuscipes.One design proved to be more efficient than the others in permitting the passage of flies and contaminating them with fungal conidia. Dry conidia ofM. anisopliaein the infection chamber retained their infectivity for more than 21 days in the field.     

绿僵菌MaFZ-13对橙带蓝尺蛾幼虫致病力及林间防治效果

【目的】橙带蓝尺蛾Milionia basalis近年来在我国南方地区严重危害罗汉松Podocarpusmacrophyllus和竹柏Podocarpus nagi,扩散蔓延速度快,造成了很大的损失。本研究旨在评估金龟子绿僵菌Metarhizium anisopliae MaFZ-13菌株对橙带蓝尺蛾幼虫的致病力,探寻橙带蓝尺蛾生物防治新资源。【方法】通过绿僵菌MaFZ-13不同浓度(1.0×10⁵~1.0×10⁹孢子/mL)孢子悬浮液接种橙带蓝尺蛾幼虫,运用时间-剂量-死亡率(TDM)模型对生物测定结果进行分析,同时通过林间喷施1.0×10⁸孢子/mL绿僵菌孢子悬浮液进行林间防治效果试验。【结果】橙带蓝尺蛾幼虫累计死亡率随着绿僵菌MaFZ-13孢子悬浮液孢子浓度的增加和接种时间的延长而增大。接种1.0×10⁹孢子/mL孢子悬浮液8 d后以及接种1.0×10⁸孢子/mL孢子悬浮液10 d后,幼虫死亡率均达到100%;接种1.0×10⁷孢子/mL孢子悬浮液15 d后幼虫死亡率为95.6%。应用TDM模型对生测数据进行分析,结果表明所建模型通过Hosmer-Lemeshow拟合异质性检验,并由模型估算出了该菌株对橙带蓝尺蛾幼虫的致死剂量和致死时间。绿僵菌MaFZ-13菌株接种4, 5, 6和7 d后的半致死剂量(LC₅₀)对数估计值分别为7.99, 7.12, 6.46和5.83。以1.0×10⁷, 1.0×10⁸和1.0×10⁹孢子/mL的孢子浓度接种时,绿僵菌MaFZ-13菌株对橙带蓝尺蛾幼虫的LT₅₀值分别为5.19,3.99和2.81 d。林间用1.0×10⁸孢子/mL绿僵菌孢子悬浮液喷洒9 d后橙带蓝尺蛾幼虫死亡率可达到85.8%,防治效果为85.05%。【结论】绿僵菌MaFZ-13对橙带蓝尺蛾幼虫具有较强的致病力,林间防治效果良好,具有较好的应用潜力。     

Metarhizium anisopliae lipolytic activity plays a pivotal role in Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus infection

Lipases secreted by Metarhizium anisopliae, an important biological control agent, could potentially be involved in the host infection process. Here, we present the activity profile during the host infection process and the effect of lipase activity inhibitor ebelactone B on infection. The previous treatment of spores with lipase activity inhibitor, ebelactone B, completely inhibited lipolytic activity and prevented the infection of the Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus host. The results herein presented prove, for the first time, the importance of lipase activity in M. anisopliae host infection process. The filamentous fungus Metarhizium anisopliae is one of the most important and studied biological agents for the control of several arthropod pests, including the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Lipases secreted by M. anisopliae could potentially be involved in the host infection process. This work presents the activity profile during the host infection process and the effect of lipase activity inhibitor ebelactone B on infection. During the course of tick exposure to spores (6-120 h) lipase activity increased from 0.03 ± 0.00 U to 0.312 ± 0.068 U using rho NP palmitate as substrate. In zymograms, bands of lipase activity were detected in ticks treated with spores without inhibitor. The previous treatment of spores with lipase activity inhibitor, ebelactone B, completely inhibited lipolytic activity, at all times specified, and prevented the infection of the R. microplus host. Spores treated with the inhibitor did not germinate on the tick, although this effect was not observed in the culture medium. The results herein presented prove, for the first time, the importance of lipase activity in M. anisopliae host infection process.     

Experimentally increased group diversity improves disease resistance in an ant species

A leading hypothesis linking parasites to social evolution is that more genetically diverse social groups better resist parasites . Moreover, group diversity can encompass factors other than genetic variation that may also influence disease resistance. Here, we tested whether group diversity improved disease resistance in an ant species with natural variation in colony queen number. We formed experimental groups of workers and challenged them with the fungal parasite Metarhizium anisopliae . Workers originating from monogynous colonies (headed by a single queen and with low genetic diversity) had higher survival than workers originating from polygynous ones, both in uninfected groups and in groups challenged with M. anisopliae . However, an experimental increase of group diversity by mixing workers originating from monogynous colonies strongly increased the survival of workers challenged with M. anisopliae , whereas it tended to decrease their survival in absence of infection. This experiment suggests that group diversity, be it genetic or environmental, improves the mean resistance of group members to the fungal infection, probably through the sharing of physiological or behavioural defences.     

Hydrated conidia of Metarhizium anisopliae release a family of metalloproteases

Metarhizium anisopliae spores release isoforms of metalloprotease during hydration over a 4-day incubation period. The isoforms were identified and characterized by using one-dimensional native PAGE (1-DE nPAGE) and one-dimensional SDS non-dissociating (1-DE nSDS-PAGE) zymography. The ability of these isozymes to degrade gelatin varied as revealed by 2-D spot densitometry. 1-DE nPAGE zymography revealed five isoforms of gelatinase from Tween wash of conidia. Where as, one to three activities with different intensities appeared on gel from washing of conidia to incubation in water till day 4. The relative migrations of these activities on 1-DE nPAGE zymograms appeared as fast, medium and slow on gel. The 2-D spot densitometry of zymograms indicated isoforms have different proteolytic activity as quantified by pixel intensities. SDS-PAGE zymography indicated the release of two isozymes of Mr 103 and 12 kDa during Tween treatment of conidia. However, during the first washing step with water and incubation of spores at day 2 and 3, respectively, only 12 kDa protein was evident. Majority of these proteases were inhibited by EDTA, but stimulated by CaCl(2), and MgCl(2). The presence of isozymes in conidia and their release during hydration must have functional significance for fungi and in this case it should provide advantages to M. anisopliae in its saprobic or pathogenic modalities. To our knowledge this is the first report describing release of metalloprotease isozymes from conidia.     

Differentially-expressed glycoproteins in Locusta migratoria hemolymph infected with Metarhizium anisopliae

Glycoproteins play important roles in insect physiology. Infection with pathogen always results in the differential expression of some glycoproteins, which may be involved in host-pathogen interactions. In this report, differentially-expressed glycoproteins from the hemolymph of locusts infected with Metarhizium anisopliae were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and PDQuest software. The results showed that 13 spots were differentially expressed, of which nine spots were upregulated and four were downregulated. Using MS/MS with de novo sequencing and NCBI database searches, three upregulated proteins were identified as locust transferrin, apolipoprotein precursor, and hexameric storage protein 3. These proteins have been reported to be involved in the insect innate immune response to microbial challenge. Due to the limited available genome information and protein sequences of locusts, the possible functions of the other 10 differentially-expressed spots remain unknown.     

Gene inactivation mediated by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium tumefaciens</Emphasis> in the filamentous fungi <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metarhizium anisopliae</Emphasis>

The list of fungal species with known complete genome and/or expressed sequence tag collections is extending rapidly during the last couple of years. Postgenomic gene function assignment is an obvious follow-up and depends on methodologies to test gene function in vivo. One of such methods is the generation of null mutants via homologous recombination at the wild–type loci by using inactivation cassettes. In this paper, the ability of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to genetically transform filamentous fungi was exploited to drive homologous recombination at the trp1 locus of the enthomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. The trp1 disruptants exhibited a clearly distinguishable phenotype from wild-type cells and were recovered with high efficiency of homologous recombination (22%). The complementation of such mutants with the wild-type gene generates only transformants with homologous integration.     

入侵害虫椰心叶甲的研究进展

近30年来,椰心叶甲Brontispa longissima(Gestro)在亚太椰子产区扩散蔓延,成为棕榈植物上主要害虫。2002年,该害虫入侵我国海南并暴发成灾。化学防除是控制椰心叶甲危害的首要措施,其中包括挂药包等农药缓释技术,而生物防治是控制该虫扩散蔓延的经济有效措施。从感病椰心叶甲虫体上分离的微生物杀虫剂绿僵菌Metarhizium anisopliae被我国和其他多个国家应用。椰心叶甲天敌寄生蜂的引进利用是可持续控制该害虫发生的重要措施。幼虫寄生蜂椰甲截脉姬小蜂Asecodes hispinarum和蛹寄生蜂椰心叶甲啮小蜂Tetrastichus brontispae是椰心叶甲的两种重要天敌。2004年,椰甲截脉姬小蜂和椰心叶甲啮小蜂被引入到我国,经扩繁释放后,取得了良好的控害效果,其中有些地区的椰甲截脉姬小蜂寄生率可达90%,椰心叶甲啮小蜂寄生率可达100%。连续放蜂,且椰心叶甲种群有合适虫龄被寄生蜂寄生是控害效果的关键。气候等生态因子也可能是影响寄生蜂控制靶标害虫效果的因素,应进一步加强研究。论文最后提出了未来椰心叶甲防控的研究的方向。     

Effect of repeated in vitro sub-culturing on the virulence of Metarhizium anisopliae against Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The effect of repeated conidial sub-culturing of Metarhizium anisopliae on its virulence against Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) was studied. The LT₅₀ observed against third instar larvae of H. armigera for the first sub-culture was 3.4 days; it increased to 4.5 and 5.6 days for the 20th and the 40th sub-cultures, respectively. The LT₅₀ values after passage of the 40th sub-culture on H. armigera decreased to 4.4 and 3.7 days for the 40th (first in vivo) and the 40th (fifth in vivo) passages, respectively. Similarly, the LC₅₀ of M. anisopliae towards third instar larvae of H. armigera increased from the first sub-culture (0.17×10⁴) to (3.0×10⁴) for the 40th conidial transfers on potato dextrose agar and again decreased to 0.74×10⁴ and 0.23×10⁴ in the 40th (first in vivo) and the 40th (fifth in vivo) passage, respectively. Similar trends for LC₅₀ and LT₅₀ values were seen when sugarcane woolly aphid, Ceratovacuna lanigera Zehntner was used as a host. Significant variation in appressorium formation and cuticle-degrading enzyme production such as chitinase, chitin deacetylase, chitosanase and protease during subsequent sub-culturing and passage through H. armigera was observed. Though there was no effect on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence pattern, interestingly, in randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), significant differences in the band intensities and in the banding pattern for different sub-cultures of M. anisopliae were observed. As stable virulence towards the insect pest is desirable for commercialisation of a mycoinsecticide, such changes in virulence due to repeated in vitro transfer need to be monitored and minimised.