Indirect biological control of the coffee leaf rust, Hemileia vastatrix, by the entomogenous fungus Lecanicillium lecanii in a complex coffee agroecosystem

Jackson, Doug; Skillman, Jane; Vandermeer, John

doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2012.01.004

Cited by 75 publications

(52 citation statements)

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“…Given that we identified a number of distinct anamorphic Cordycipitaceae species on rust pustules within a small geographical region, it is clear that the taxonomy and virulence properties of these species will need to be resolved before assuming that all "white halo" infections of scales and coffee rust are caused by the same species. Moreover, additional studies need to be performed to determine whether the same fungus attacks both coffee rust and coffee scale insects, though the spatial association of local coffee scale insect epidemics caused by Lecanicillium is associated with a reduced local abundance of coffee rust in subsequent years (38). Geography was shown to be a greater determinant of fungal community structure than infection status (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of Putative Coffee Rust Mycoparasites via Single-Molecule DNA Sequencing of Infected Pustules

James

Marino

Perfecto

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

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The interaction of crop pests with their natural enemies is a fundament to their control. Natural enemies of fungal pathogens of crops are poorly known relative to those of insect pests, despite the diversity of fungal pathogens and their economic importance. Currently, many regions across Latin America are experiencing unprecedented epidemics of coffee rust (Hemileia vastatrix). Identification of natural enemies of coffee rust could aid in developing management strategies or in pinpointing species that could be used for biocontrol. In the present study, we characterized fungal communities associated with coffee rust lesions by single-molecule DNA sequencing of fungal rRNA gene bar codes from leaf discs (Ϸ28 mm 2 ) containing rust lesions and control discs with no rust lesions. The leaf disc communities were hyperdiverse in terms of fungi, with up to 69 operational taxonomic units (putative species) per control disc, and the diversity was only slightly reduced in rust-infected discs, with up to 63 putative species. However, geography had a greater influence on the fungal community than whether the disc was infected by coffee rust. Through comparisons between control and rust-infected leaf discs, as well as taxonomic criteria, we identified 15 putative mycoparasitic fungi. These fungi are concentrated in the fungal family Cordycipitaceae and the order Tremellales. These data emphasize the complexity of diverse fungi of unknown ecological function within a leaf that might influence plant disease epidemics or lead to the development of species for biocontrol of fungal disease. Fungal biodiversity is closely linked to plant biodiversity, because a dominant number of fungal taxa are symbiotic with plants (1, 2). On one end of the symbiosis spectrum are plant pathogens, whose impacts are enormous in agricultural production, dramatically reducing yields or even eliminating production altogether, as well as in natural ecosystems, where they may facilitate plant biodiversity by Janzen-Connell effects, coevolutionary processes, or other mechanisms. At the other end of the spectrum are mutualists of plants, including beneficial mycorrhizae and endophytes that promote plant growth and facilitate stress tolerance (3, 4). Somewhere in the middle are the majority of plant-symbiotic fungi, with copious species detected within and on asymptomatic plant tissues. Most of these fungi have unclear roles with respect to plant health but comprise a massive and ubiquitous proportion of overall fungal biodiversity, especially in the lowland tropics, where every leaf sampled reveals the presence of endophytes by use of culture techniques (5, 6). Although some endophytes may have no direct effect on the host, what is becoming increasingly more appreciated is that endophytes can benefit the host through indirect actions, such as by protection from plant pests and pathogens (7,8).In natural ecosystems, cascading trophic interactions are tied to ecosystem stability and diversity (9). These trophic interactions involve numerous natural enemie...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of Putative Coffee Rust Mycoparasites via Single-Molecule DNA Sequencing of Infected Pustules

James

Marino

Perfecto

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Verticillium lecanii, Verticillium hemileiae), which can be found naturally hyperparasiting uredinospores of H. vastatrix in coffee rust lesions (Shaw, 1988;Vandermeer et al, 2009) among others (Spencer & Atkey, 1981;Leinhos & Buchenauer, 1992), may be considered a biological control agent. The role of this antagonist in the reduction of coffee leaf rust was also observed by Jackson et al (2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Effects of UV-B radiation on Lecanicillium spp., biological control agents of the coffee leaf rust pathogen

Galvao¹,

Bettiol²

2014

Trop. plant pathol.

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Coffee leaf rust is the main disease of coffee and its causal agent is naturally hyperparasited by Lecanicillium lecanii, indicating its potential for biocontrol. Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation is an important factor that interferes on application of biocontrol agents, and Lecanicillium can be affected by UV-B. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of UV-B on Lecanicillium isolates and on its capacity to colonize rust lesions. There were variations among Lecanicillium strains in sensitivity to UV-B radiation, causing inactivation and delayed spore germination. The most tolerant strain (CCMA-1143) had LD 50 =1.63 kJ/m 2 of UV-B. The incidence and colonization of Lecanicillium on coffee leaf rust lesions were influenced by the dose of UV-B radiation, and were increased when the isolate CCMA-1143 was sprayed on rust lesions. The effects of UV-B should be considered on efficacy studies for the development of biopesticides.

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“…First, at a scale of 15 m, we reported a negative correlation between rust incidence and the distance to a coffee plant in which an epizootic of the white halo had killed all the hemipterans the previous year (Vandermeer et al 2009). Second, rust incidence data from plots approximately 50 m × 50 m show a negative correlation between rust incidence and coffee plants close to Azteca nests, although the R 2 value was low, suggesting that many other factors affect the incidence of the disease (Vandermeer et al 2009, Jackson et al 2012a. Finally, rust incidence data at a large scale (∼45 ha) similarly show a weak negative correlation between rust incidence and Azteca sites (Vandermeer et al 2009.…”

Section: Spatial Constraints On Other Organismsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…The importance of natural enemies of the rust has been emphasized by several authors (Kushalappa & Eskes 1989, Andrews 1992. One of those enemies may be the hyperparasite Lecanicillium lecanii, known to colonize H. vastatrix under laboratory conditions (Eskes et al 1991) and in the field (Vandermeer et al 2009, Jackson et al 2012a. In addition, L. lecanii routinely attacks the green coffee scale insect (Coccus viridis), another pest of coffee (Vandermeer et al 2009, Rosado et al 2014.…”

Section: A Fungal Disease and Its Natural Enemymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As discussed in the section on trophic interactions, one of the main biological control agents of H. vastatrix (the disease agent that causes the coffee rust) is the white halo fungus, L. lecanii, which is commonly found in coffee plantations, especially associated with the hemipteran C. viridis when tended by Azteca ants (Vandermeer et al 2009;Jackson et al 2012aJackson et al , 2012bMacDonald et al 2013). Because of this basic natural history (Figure 5), an obvious expectation is that the coffee rust disease incidence should be negatively correlated with the presence of ant nests because it is only under the protection of ants that C. viridis reaches densities high enough to attract the epizootics of the white halo fungus.…”

Section: Spatial Constraints On Other Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Complex Ecological Interactions in the Coffee Agroecosystem

Perfecto

Vandermeer

Philpott

2014

Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst.

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107

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Coffee agroecosystems have become iconic in the study of how agriculture can contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and how biodiversity can deliver ecosystem services to agriculture. However, coffee farms are also excellent model systems for ecological research. Throughout the tropics coffee farms are cultivated using varying numbers and diversity of shade trees, representing a gradient of diversity and complexity, ranging from forest-like "shade coffee" to intensified shadeless "sun coffee." Here we synthesize ecological research in the coffee agroecosystem focusing on four topics that have received considerable recent attention: (a) trophic interactions (especially vertebrates and ants as predators), (b) trait-mediated indirect interactions, (c) competition and community assembly (mainly birds and ants), and (d ) spatial constraints on interactions.

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Indirect biological control of the coffee leaf rust, Hemileia vastatrix, by the entomogenous fungus Lecanicillium lecanii in a complex coffee agroecosystem

Cited by 75 publications

References 23 publications

Identification of Putative Coffee Rust Mycoparasites via Single-Molecule DNA Sequencing of Infected Pustules

Identification of Putative Coffee Rust Mycoparasites via Single-Molecule DNA Sequencing of Infected Pustules

Effects of UV-B radiation on Lecanicillium spp., biological control agents of the coffee leaf rust pathogen

Complex Ecological Interactions in the Coffee Agroecosystem

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