Diversidad de micobiota en diferentes especies de hormigas cortadoras de hojas y sitios de Argentina

Marfetán, Jorge A.; Folgarait, Patricia J.

doi:10.25260/ea.17.27.3.0.488

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 29 publications

(45 reference statements)

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“…Our results showed that the biological control of LCA can be achieved after several applications made over a relatively long period of time. A 60% control, as achieved in this study, would represent a significant reduction in crop/tree herbivory with its concomitant economic benefit; and, on the other hand, maintaining some colonies of LCA alive would contribute natural enemies such as parasitoid phorid flies (Folgarait, 2013; Elizalde et al., 2018), and generalist pathogens (Goffré & Folgarait, 2017; Marfetán & Folgarait, 2017) or specialist pathogens (Augustin et al., 2013; Marfetán et al., 2018), that could help reduce the uncontrolled colonies (Currie et al., 2003; Guillade & Folgarait, 2014b; Bizarria et al., 2018). Our results contrast in efficiency with the only other long‐term biological control assessment published so far, which reported 100% control of five A. cephalotes colonies over 37 weeks with three applications of M. anisopliae and T. viride (Lopez & Orduz, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Biological control of leaf‐cutter ants using pathogenic fungi: experimental laboratory and field studies

Folgarait

Goffré

2021

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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The alternative use of biological control agents (BCAs) against leaf‐cutter ants (LCAs) is in increasingly high demand due to the negative consequences of traditional pesticides. Regarding LCAs, BCAs include entomopathogens that infect them, and mycopathogens that kill the fungi cultivated by these ants. The simultaneous use of multiple BCAs requires that the agents do not negatively affect each other. To test this hypothesis, we set up laboratory assays to evaluate in vitro interactions among an entomopathogen [Beauveria bassiana (Bals.‐Criv.) Vuill.], a mycopathogen [Trichoderma virens (JH Mill., Giddens & AA Foster) Arx], and the LCA‐cultivated symbiotic fungus Leucoagaricus sp. We also tested the BCAs in the field by offering them in three types of bait to Acromyrmex lundii Guérin‐Méneville (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in order to evaluate: (1) the control efficiency of these BCAs on LCA field colonies, and (2) whether there was delayed rejection of baits placed sequentially. Our in vitro results showed that T. virens was not affected by Leucoagaricus sp. or by B. bassiana, whereas B. bassiana was negatively affected by the mycopathogen and the cultivated fungus, probably due to substrate competition. Leucoagaricus sp. was not affected by B. bassiana but it was negatively affected by T. virens, as predicted, destroying the cell walls of the cultivated fungus. The field study showed 62.5% control of LCA after applying the three types of bait on three occasions throughout 27 weeks, without detecting any delayed rejection effect. Due to the variability registered in colony inactivity, we propose a continued inactivity of 13 weeks as a criterion for A. lundii control. We discuss the importance of continuous long‐term assessments of BCAs on LCA control.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Biological control of leaf‐cutter ants using pathogenic fungi: experimental laboratory and field studies

Folgarait

Goffré

2021

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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“…(2016) ; Li et al. (2016) ; Marfetán (2016) ; Barcoto et al. (2017) ; Canali (2017) ; do Nascimento et al.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Control of pest ants by pathogenic fungi: state of the art

Folgarait,

Goffré

2023

Front. Fungal Biol.

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Pest ants are known for their damage to biodiversity, harm to agriculture, and negative impact on human welfare. Ants thrive when environmental opportunities arise, becoming pests and/or invading non-native areas. As social insects, they are extremely difficult to control using sustainable methods like biological control. The latter, although safer to the environment, acts slowly allowing the ants to use their individual and social defenses. Among biocontrol agents, fungal pathogens were proposed as promising, however, it is difficult to ascertain their success when the bibliography has not been reviewed and condensed. Therefore, this paper is the first in performing such task by analyzing publications mainly from 2000 to 2022 about the control of pest ants by fungi. From 85 publications selected, 77% corresponded to laboratory studies. Beauveria and Metarhizium were the genera most used in laboratory and field studies. Most of them included Acromyrmex and Atta leaf-cutter ants (LCA), and Solenopsis fire ants. From laboratory experiments, we evaluated how ant net mortality was affected by ant and fungal species, and also by origin, concentration, and inoculation technique of the fungal strains tested. Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae produced the greatest mortality, along with the inoculation spray technique and fungal strains collected from ants. There was a positive relationship between ant mortality and fungal concentration only for those studies which evaluated more than one concentration. Twenty field experimental studies were found, covering 13 pest species, mainly LCA and Solenopsis invicta. Only B. bassiana was tested on Solenopsis, M. anisopliae was mostly used for Acromyrmex, and M. anisopliae or Trichoderma were mainly used with Atta species. The median control field efficiency varied from 20% to 85% for different fungi and ant genera. When grouping all fungal species together, the median control efficiency seemed to be better for Acromyrmex (67%) than for Atta and Solenopsis (both 43%). Our review shows that, at this stage of knowledge, it is very difficult to extrapolate any result. We offer suggestions to improve and standardize laboratory and field experimental studies in order to advance more efficiently in the fungal control of pest ants.

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Fungal Community Associated with the Leaf-Cutting Ant Acromyrmex crassispinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Colonies: a Search for Potential Biocontrol Agents

et al. 2023

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Diversidad de micobiota en diferentes especies de hormigas cortadoras de hojas y sitios de Argentina

Cited by 3 publications

References 29 publications

Biological control of leaf‐cutter ants using pathogenic fungi: experimental laboratory and field studies

Biological control of leaf‐cutter ants using pathogenic fungi: experimental laboratory and field studies

Control of pest ants by pathogenic fungi: state of the art

Fungal Community Associated with the Leaf-Cutting Ant Acromyrmex crassispinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Colonies: a Search for Potential Biocontrol Agents

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