Effects of four Bacillus spp. of soil origin on the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)

Four species of Bacillus were isolated from soil in an effort to find safe, effective and alternative biological control agents against plant pests. These bacteria were identified as Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus sphaericus, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus cereus on the basis of fatty acid methyl ester analysis and carbon utilization profiles by using Microbial Identification and Biolog Microplate Systems. Laboratory experiments carried out to determine the insecticidal activities of these isolates showed that B. pumilus caused 95.7 and 26.7% mortality and B. sphaericus caused 74.5 and 23.3% mortality of Leptinotarsa decemlineata larvae and adults, respectively. B. cereus and B. megaterium showed 51.1 and 29.7%, respectively, of L. decemlineata larvae. This study presents at least two Turkish isolates from the genus Bacillus showing high insecticidal activity against L. decemlineata.