Control of whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum and cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii in glasshouses by two isolates of the fungus, Verticillium lecanii

The abilities of two isoiates of the entomopathogenic fungus, Verticillium lecanii (one isolated from whitefly and one from aphids), to control both aphids and whitefly on glasshouse cucumbers was investigated. Control of homologous hosts was better than that of heterologous hosts. A single spray of a commercial substrate-containing formulation of the ‘whitefly’ isolate controlled established whitefly populations satisfactorily on sprayed foliage and also when the whitefly moved up to younger untreated foliage. In addition, because the substrate permitted growth and sporulation of the fungus on leaf surfaces, whitefly populations introduced after a V. lecanii application were also controlled. Control of whitefly by the ‘aphid’ isolate alone was unsatisfactory although control could be obtained in conjunction with the hymenopterous parasite Encarsia formosa. Control of Aphis gossypii by the ‘aphid’ isolate was obtained by spraying a commercial formulation containing a substrate but not by spraying pure spore suspensions. The ‘whitefly’ isolate did not control aphids satisfactorily. The difference between the two isolates in pathogenicity for aphids and whitefly was supported by laboratory infectivity experiments.     

Hyperparasitism of Puccinia horiana and other Microcyclic Rusts

Verticillium lecanii and Aphanocladium album infected in 5 days 90–95 % of the teliospores of Puccinia horiana, the major pathogen of Chrysanthemum. This suggests the possibility to expand the use of V. lecanii, a commercial biocontrol agent against aphids, in order to control P. horiana, V. lecanii and A. album parasitized other microcyclic rusts but with a lesser frequency: P. dianthi (82 and 88 %), P. malvacearum (72 and 60 %) and P. glomerata (57 and 61 %). Cladosporium sphaerospermum and C. uredinicola were less effective than V. lecanii and A. album against all rust species tested.     

Application ofVerticillium lecanii for the control ofAphis gossypii by a low-volume electrostatic rotary atomiser and a high-volume hydraulic sprayer

Verticillium lecanii (Fungi: Deuteromycete) blastospores were applied to a chrysanthemum crop by an ULV electrostatically charged rotary atomiser (APE-80). The deposition of spores and subsequent control ofAphis gossypii were compared to high volume hydraulic application. A full rate treatment (2×10¹³ blastospores per ha.) was applied by the APE-80 at week 1 and reduced spore rates of 1/6^th and 1/12^th applied by both the APE-80 and the hydraulic sprayer once and twice a week respectively for weeks 1 to 6. Untreated plots served as controls. Initial deposits of spores were higher with the electrostatic sprayer and better distributed with respect to the position of the target aphids. Significantly lower aphid populations were recorded on the electrostatically treated plots in week 4. The single full rate treatment had significantly fewer aphids than the untreated plots from week 3 and all treatments had significantly fewer aphids than the untreated plots from week 5 onwards. The proportion of the aphid population killed byV. lecanii was higher on the electrostatically treated plots until week 6.      

Comparative efficacy of emulsifiable-oil,wettable-powder,and unformulated-powder preparations of Beauveria bassiana against the melon aphid Aphis gossypii

Aphidicidal efficacy of two formulations of Beauveria bassiana strain GHA conidia, an emulsifiable paraffinic oil dispersion (OD) and a clay-based wettable powder (WP), were compared to unformulated conidia (technical material, TC) in laboratory bioassays with adult melon/cotton aphids. For the initial 24 h post-treatment, aphids were incubated under differing humidity conditions: high (100%) versus 'low' (75 ± 3%) relative humidity (RH), and over the subsequent 6 days, all aphids were incubated under the low RH conditions. Mortality from the OD and TC treatments did not differ significantly under any test conditions, and ANOVA revealed no synergism of B. bassiana activity by the OD carrier ingredients. In contrast, formulation as a WP had a small, but significant, negative impact on B. bassiana efficacy. Mean LC50 across formulations was nearly 6.5-fold higher (3457 vs. 539 conidia/mm²) at low vs. high RH. The OD formulation was significantly more effective than the WP, increasing mortality a maximum of 27 percentage points. There were no significant effects of formulation on probit regression slopes. The equivalent slopes and small differences in efficacy of the OD formulation vs. TC preparation support a hypothesis that oils function primarily as spray stickers and spreaders, increasing the efficiency of spray applications.     

Effects of the fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lecanicillium lecanii</Emphasis> on survival and reproduction of the aphid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Schizaphis graminum</Emphasis>

This study investigated the effects of a strain of the fungus Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimm.) Zare and Gams (Hypocreales: Ascomycota) on the aphid Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). The fungus was administered to fourth instar nymphs and to alate and apterous adult morphs as a ground rice-kernel formulation. This study showed that L. lecanii formulation affected the survival of the aphids and interacted differently with the studied morphs, the Lethal Time values being lower for alate compared to apterous morphs and nymphs. The treatment also caused a significant reduction in the fecundity of the three treated aphid groups. Histological analysis revealed that the hyphae invaded the host hemocoel of a limited number of alate and apterous morphs: the fungus only entered through the spiracles. Scanning Electron Microscope observations revealed that L. lecanii adhered to the body surface of both adults and nymphs without differentiation. In conclusion, the present study suggests that this strain might be a good candidate for a programme of biological control of S. graminum and other aphid species.     

Glasshouse Experiments on Biocontrol of Cucumber Powdery Mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea) by the MycoparasitesVerticillium lecaniiandSporothrix rugulosa

Two potential biological control agents of cucumber powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea),Verticillium lecaniiandSporothrix rugulosa,were tested under glasshouse conditions. Two experiments were carried out. In the first experiment, two cucumber varieties with different levels of resistance, cv Corona (susceptible) and cv Flamingo (partially resistant), were used.Verticillium lecaniicontrolled the mildew better thanS. rugulosa.On cv Flamingo,V. lecaniicould keep the mildew severity below 15% infected leaf area for 9 weeks after inoculation withS. fuliginea.Treatment by Hora Oleo 11E, alone or as an additive toV. lecanii,was as good as a fungicide treatment. In the second experiment, weekly and biweekly treatments withV. lecaniiwere compared on cv Flamingo. Weekly treatments withV. lecaniikept mildew severity at a level below 20% infected leaf area during 10 weeks after inoculation withS. fuliginea.If applied to a partially resistant cucumber cultivar,V. lecaniiis an effective candidate for biological control ofS. fuliginea.     

The effect of Pymetrozine, a feeding inhibitor of Homoptera, in preventing transmission of cauliflower mosaic caulimovirus by the aphid species Myzus persicae (Sulzer)

Mature turnip plants, mechanically infected as seedlings with the semi-persistent, aphid transmitted caulimovirus, cauliflower mosaic (CaMV), were treated by spraying with either a solution of Pymetrozine plus adjuvant oil, adjuvant oil or water only. At the same time turnip seedlings were sprayed for each of the three treatments. Two h after spraying, Myzus persicae were caged onto an infected turnip plant for each of the three treatments. Twenty four h later, groups of 20 aphids were transferred from the infected plants, to seedlings from each of the three treatments. After 24 h, these were removed and seedlings were later recorded for infection. This acquisition/transmission assay was repeated at 3, 7, 14 and 21 days from treatment. Only aphids exposed to the Pymetrozine treated source plants were shown to move off the plant and failed to transmit CaMV effectively to treated or control seedlings during the 0 and 3 day assays. The majority soon died when transferred to test seedlings. Progressively, more aphids were found to survive and transmit CaMV during the 7 day and 14 day assays. By 21 days no significant effect could be recorded between treatments and controls. Aphids transferred from control treated source plants to Pymetrozine treated seedlings were able to transmit CaMV within all the assays, although higher mortality was recorded in the day 0 assessment when compared to those transferred to control treated seedlings. We conclude from this trial, that a single foliar treatment of 100 mg litre¹ Pymetrozine to CaMV infected turnip plants, effectively reduces the vectoring capability of M. persicae, that feed on these plants, for up to 7 days. However, Pymetrozine failed to stop virus transmission to treated seedlings from the ingress of viruliferous aphids. Pymetrozine was not shown to cause any phytotoxic responses to plants used in this trial.     

Volatiles from Plants Induced by Multiple Aphid Attacks Promote Conidial Performance of Lecanicillium lecanii

Herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) are clues that help predatory insects search for food. The hypothesis that entomopathogenic fungi, which protect plants, benefit from the release of HIPVs was tested. The plant Arabidopsis thaliana was used as the source of HIPVs. The insect herbivore Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach) was used as the inducer, and the fungal pathogen of the aphid Lecanicillium lecanii was exposed to HIPVs to test our hypothesis. When exposed to aphid-induced A. thaliana volatiles, the mortality of aphids pre-treated with a conidial suspension of L. lecanii, the conidial germination and the appressorial formation were significantly increased compared with the control. The decan-3-ol and 4-methylpentyl isothiocyanate that were detected in the headspace seemed to have positive and negative affection, respectively. Moreover, HIPVs generated from groups of eight aphids per plant promoted significantly increased conidial germination and appressorial formation compared with HIPVs from groups of one, two and four aphids per plant. Our results demonstrated that the pathogenicity of the entomopathogenic fungus L. lecanii was enhanced when exposed to HIPVs and that the HIPVs were affected by the number of insect herbivores that induced them.     

Persistence and Viability of Lecanicillium lecanii in Chinese Agricultural Soil

The entomopathogenic fungus L. lecanii has been developed as biopesticides and used widely for biological control of several insects in agricultural practice. Due to the lack of isolation/count methods for L. lecanii in soil, the persistence of this fungus in soil appears to have attracted no attention. A selective medium and count method for L. lecanii in soil based on cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) was developed, and then the persistence and viability of this fungus in soil were investigated under field conditions between 2012 and 2014. The results showed that the rate of recovery for L. lecanii in soil on the selective CTAB medium was satisfactory. The minimum CFUs for L. lecanii on the selective medium (0.5 g/L CTAB) was about 10² conidia/g soil. The L. lecanii density in soil declined quickly in the first month after inoculation with fungal conidia, kept stable for 6 to 10 months, and then decreased gradually until undetectable. L. lecanii could persist for at least 14 months in the agricultural soil of northern China. The colony growth, conidia yield and germination rate on plates, as well as the median lethal concentration or times (LC₅₀ or LT₅₀) to aphids, mycelium growth in aphids and sporulation on aphids of L. lecanii did not change significantly during the persistence in soil. In general, the count method developed here was a very useful tool for monitoring the dynamics of natural or introduced L. lecanii populations in soil, and the data on the persistence of L. lecanii in soil reported here were helpful for biological control and environmental risk assessment.     

Inhibitory effects of glycerol on Gluconobacter oxydans

Summary The inhibitory effects of glycerol on Gluconobacter oxydans were measured separately. The kinetics of oxygen uptake rate representing the DHA production, the CO₂ evolution rate representing the assimilation of the product, and the specific growth rate were mathematically modelled. Glycerol does not inhibit DHA formation and CO₂-evolution.now: Institut für Biotechnologie, TU Graz, Petersgasse 12, 8010 Graz, Austria     

Comparison of the potential rate of population increase of brown and green color morphs of Sitobion avenae (Homoptera: Aphididae) on barley infected and uninfected with Barley yellow dwarf virus

Life tables of brown and green color morphs of the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) reared on barley under laboratory conditions at 20 ± 1°C, 65% ± 5% relative humidity and a photoperiod of 16 : 8 h (L : D) were compared. The plants were either: (i) infected with the Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV); (ii) not infected with virus but previously infested with aphids; or (iii) healthy barley plants, which were not previously infested with aphids. Generally, both color morphs of S. avenae performed significantly better when fed on BYDV‐infected plants than on plants that were virus free but had either not been or had been previously infested with aphids. Furthermore, when fed on BYDV‐infected plants, green S. avenae developed significantly faster and had a significantly shorter reproductive period than the brown color morph. There were no significant differences in this respect between the two color morphs of S. avenae when they were reared on virus‐free plants that either had been or not been previously infested with aphids. These results indicate that barley infected with BYDV is a more favorable host plant than uninfected barley for both the color morphs of S. avenae tested, particularly the green color morph.     

The effect of introducing the aphid-pathogenic fungus Erynia neoaphidis into populations of cereal aphids

The aphid-pathogenic fungus Erynia neoaphidis, as dried fungus-infected aphids, was applied to caged plots of winter wheat infested with cereal aphids at two sites, one in Hertfordshire and the other in Hampshire, in 1983. In each trial, the fungus became established in the aphid populations in the treated plots even though conditions were drier than average and therefore sub-optimal for fungus spread. Treatment applied in the third week of June increased the proportion of infected aphids more than that applied two weeks later at one site, and the early application was the only treatment to have an obvious effect at the other. In spite of the observed effect of treatments on the proportion of infected aphids, the fungus failed to reduce the numbers of aphids relative to those in untreated plots, chiefly because in these plots many aphids were killed by fungi of the same species as that introduced and other related species from natural sources. Artificial introduction of E. neoaphidis acts too slowly and unpredictably to be likely to form a practical alternative to conventional insecticides for cereal aphid control.     

Infection with an insect virus affects olfactory behaviour and interactions with host plant and natural enemies in an aphid

Aphid ecology and population dynamics are affected by a series of factors including behavioural responses to ecologically relevant chemical cues, capacity for population growth, and interactions with host plants and natural enemies. Using the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Homoptera: Aphididae), we showed that these factors were affected by infection with Rhopalosiphum padi virus (RhPV). Uninfected aphids were attracted to odour of uninfected aphids on the host plant, an aggregation mechanism. However, infected aphids were not attracted, and neither infected nor uninfected aphids were attracted to infected aphids on the plant. Infected aphids did not respond to methyl salicylate, a cue denoting host suitability. Infected aphids were more behaviourally sensitive to aphid alarm pheromone, and left the host plant more readily in response to it. RhPV reduced the lifespan and population growth rate of the aphid. The predacious ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), consumed more infected aphids than uninfected aphids in a 24‐h period, and the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) attacked more infected than uninfected aphids. However, the proportion of mummies formed was lower with infected aphids. The results represent further evidence that associated organisms can affect the behaviour and ecology of their aphid hosts.     

Laboratory studies on the effects of fungicides, acaricides and insecticides on the entomopathogenic fungus, Verticillium lecanii

Tests on agar suggested that several fungicides, insecticides and acaricides could be recommended for use with the fungus, Verticillium lecanii (Zimm) Viégas; some chemicals, benodanil, oxycarboxin, iprodione, vinclozolin, dinocap, carbaryl, dicofol, dienochlor, pirimicarb, permethrin and white oil are in theory sufficiently innocuous to V. lecanii for spraying simultaneously with is spores while separate aphlications would be recommended for diflubenzuron which is slightly more toxic. Results of tests on aphids with some of the compounds of greater but intermediate toxicity on agar, suggested that separate applications are advisable with bupirimate, pyrazaphos, triforine, cyhexatin, dioxathion and tetradifon but any use of zineb is best avoided. The most toxic compounds on agar in this study were thiram, captan, maneb, mancozeb, chlorothalonil, dichlofluanid, fenarimol, imazalil, BTS 40542, quinomethionate, fluotrimazole and diazinon. Of these compounds tested with V. lecanii on aphids, captan, chlorothalonil, dichlofluanid, quinomethionate and thiram proved to be incompatible with V. lecanii but fenarimol proved relatively harmless. On the basis of the results of this study, careful selection of pesticides and fungicides would permit the combined use of V. lecanii and chemicals in integrated control programmes.

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Résumé Des tests sur agar ont suggéré que plusieurs fongicides, insecticides et acaracides pouvaient être recommandés pour une utilisation simultanée avec le champignon Verticillium lecanii (Zimm) Viégas; quelques substances chimiques — benodanil, oxycarboxine, iprodione, vinelozoline, dinocap, carbaryl, dicofol, dienochlor, pirimicarb, permethrine et huile blanche — sont en théorie suffisamment innoffensives contre V. lecanii pour être pulvérisées simultanément avec ses spores, tandis que des applications séparées devraient être préconisées pour le diflubenzuron qui est légèrement plus toxique. Les résultats d'essais sur agar, contre des aphides, avec quelques produits de toxicité plus élevée mais cependant moyenne, ont conduit à suggérer des applications séparées pour: bupirimate, pyrazaphos, triforine, cyhexatine, dioxathion et tetradifon, mais d'éviter toute utilisation de zineb. Les produits les plus toxiques sur agar ont été: thiram, captan, maneb, mancozeb, chlorothalonil, dichlofluanide, fenarimol, imazalil, BTS 40542, quinomethionate, fluotrimazole et diazinon. Après essais contre aphides, avec V. lecanii, captan, chlorothalonil, dichlofluanide, quinomethionate et thiram ont montré leur incompatibilité avec V. lecanii, tandis que fenarimol se montrait relativement sans nocivité. Sur la base des résultats de cette étude, une sélection soigneuse des pesticides et des fongicides devrait permettre l'utilisation combinée de V. lecanii et de produits chimiques dans des programmes de lutte intégrée.

     

Entomopathogenic fungi associated with Ixodes ricinus ticks

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi on Ixodes ricinus ticks in relation to the tick stage, engorgement and season. Ticks were collected from the vegetation, from small rodents and from deer. All entomopathogenic fungi found belonged to the Hyphomycetes. Paecilomyces farinosus and Verticillium lecanii were the predominant species. Other species, found only on engorged females were: Beauveria bassiana, B. brongniartii, P. fumosoroseus and V. aranearum. Eight out of 1833 ticks collected from the vegetation and three out of 269 engorged nymphs were infected with fungi. Thirty-three out of 149 engorged females were infected, whereas males and engorged larvae were not infected. Throughout the season, a significantly higher proportion of ticks collected in autumn were infected. Entomopathogenic fungi may have a significant impact on the size of the I. ricinus population, since females were the most frequently infected stage.     

Raspberry viruses affect the behavior and performance of Amphorophora agathonica in single and mixed infections

Pathogens may alter their hosts, which consequently increases transmission efficiency by vectors. We examined the effects of Raspberry leaf mottle virus [RLMV; Closterovirus (Closteroviridae)] and Raspberry latent virus [RpLV; Reovirus (Reoviridae)], alone and in a co‐infection in raspberry, Rubus idaeus L. (Rosaceae) cv. Meeker, on the behavior and performance of its vector, Amphorophora agathonica Hottes (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Longevity was increased in aphids feeding on all infected‐plant treatments compared with healthy plants, but aphid fecundity only increased in the co‐infection treatment. In a two‐way choice study between infected and healthy plants, aphids showed no difference in preference between plants after 30 min of exposure. After 24 h, aphids significantly preferred to settle on plants infected with RLMV over healthy, but healthy plants over plants infected with RpLV. There were no differences in settling preferences between healthy and co‐infected plants. An electrical penetration graph study showed no differences in aphid feeding behavior on plants infected with RLMV and RLMV+RpLV when compared with healthy controls. Our results are consistent with past findings that infected plant's impact vector performance and behavior, but also highlight the need to further investigate greater virus diversity and effects of mixed infections.     

The effect of simulated acid rain on performance of the aphid Euceraphis betulae (Koch) on silver birch

Summary The effect of artificial acid rain on the reproduction and survival of the aphid Euceraphis betulae on silver birch was studied in Turku, southern Finland. Eight bioassays were done during 1984–1986. In four of the bioassays the aphids produced 40% to over 100% more progeny on birches watered with dilute sulphuric acid (pH 3.5) than on control trees. In four other cases the performance of aphids did not differ between the treatments. An index of aphid reproduction pooled over the whole study was significantly higher on acid-treated than on control birches. The reproduction of aphids on acid-treated birches was enhanced when precipitation was below long term average, suggesting an interaction between the stress caused by acid treatment and dry periods.     

Pathogenicity ofVerticillium lecani conidia and blastospores against the aphid,Macrosiphoniella sanborni

Under conditions of laboratory bioassay in which aphids were infected by total immersion in spore suspensions, blastospores of the entomopathogenic fungus,Verticillium lecanii (Zimm.)Viégas, were twice as pathogenic as conidia for the aphid,Macrosiphoniella sanborni Gill., on a numerical basis. By comparison, on a live-spore volume basis blastospores, being larger, were only ×0.6 as pathogenic. Blastospores were also, numerically, more pathogenic when healthy aphids were infected from spore-covered leaf discs in the laboratory. LC₅₀s of the 2 assay methods differed by more than × 100. In glasshouses, the 2 spore-types achieved similar levels of control ofM. sanborni.     

Altered behavior and distribution of pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Homoptera: Aphididae), infected with Pandora neoaphidis (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales)

The distribution and mobility of infected aphid hosts can have a great effect on the ability of a pathogen to spread throughout a population. The distribution of dead and living pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) infected with Pandora neoaphidis was compared with that of their healthy conspecifics. Infected aphids were significantly more likely to be found on the undersides of alfalfa leaves and off of the plants than were healthy aphids. These two shifts in microhabitat location have potential costs and benefits for both the host and the pathogen.     

Hoverfly oviposition response to aphids in broccoli fields

The oviposition response of predacious hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) to Brevicoryne brassicae L. and Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Homoptera: Aphididae) in commercial broccoli, Brassica oleracea var. italica L., Plenck (Brassicaceae), fields was investigated at two sites over the course of a growing season. The hoverfly oviposition responses to these aphid species on different parts of the broccoli plant canopy were also examined. There were no hoverfly eggs on broccoli plants without aphids, egg numbers were very low on plants with fewer than 50 aphids, and no peak in oviposition relative to aphid numbers was observed. Within individual plants that were colonized by aphids, there was some oviposition on individual leaves without aphids, and no hoverfly eggs were seen on leaves that had more than 400 aphids. Leaves in the broccoli plant canopy, and the datasets associated with them, were divided into three sections vertically, ‘upper’, ‘middle’, and ‘lower’. Brevicoryne brassicae was more abundant in the upper and middle canopy sections, while M. persicae was found mostly in the lower section. The rate of hoverfly oviposition per aphid was higher in the upper section than in the two other sections. Modeling of the oviposition response using logistic regression showed that the presence of hoverfly eggs was positively correlated with numbers of each aphid species and sampling date.