Pathogenicity, Ovicidal Action, and Median Lethal Concentrations (LC₅₀) of Entomopathogenic Fungi against Exotic Spiralling Whitefly,Aleurodicus dispersusRussell

Abstract

Biological control using entomopathogenic fungi could be a promising alternative to chemical control. Entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin, Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimmerm.) Zare and Gams, and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (Wize) Brown and Smith, were tested for their pathogenicity, ovicidal effect, and median lethal concentrations (LC50) against exotic spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus Russell. The applications were made at the rate of 2 × 109 conidia mL−1 for evaluating the pathogenicity and ovicidal effect of entomopathogenic fungi against A. dispersus. The results of pathogenicity test showed that P. fumosoroseus (P1 strain) was highly pathogenic to A. dispersus recording 100% mortality at 15 days after treatment (DAT). M. anisopliae (M2 strain) had more ovicidal effect causing 37.3% egg mortality at 8 DAT. However, L. lecanii (L1 strain) caused minimum egg hatchability (23.2%) at 10 DAT as compared to control (92.6%). The lowest LC50 produced by P. fumosoroseus (P1 strain) as 8.189 × 107 conidia mL−1 indicated higher virulence against A. dispersus. Hence, there is potential for use of entomopathogenic fungi in the field conditions as an alternate control method in combating the insect pests and other arthropod pests since they are considered natural mortality agents and are environmentally safe.

Microbial control of the exotic spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on eggplant using entomopathogenic fungi

“…Earlier, Eyal et al (1992) Data analyzed with least squares means and means separated using LSD (P < 0.01; Henderson and Tilton, 1955 after application. Earlier, Boopathi et al (2013) reported that L. lecanii had more pathogenicity against A. dispersus under laboratory conditions. Amounts of I. fumosorosea hyphal growth and sporuletion were visibly greater, and faster than the other entomopathogenic fungi.…”

“…Wraight et al (1998Wraight et al ( , 2000 observed equal pathogenicity of I. fumosorosea against nymphs of B. argentifolii under laboratory conditions. Studies by Boopathi et al (2013) reported that I. fumosorosea had more pathogenicity against A. dispersus under laboratory conditions.…”

“…Nagasi et al (1998) reported that B. bassiana was most pathogenic to first instars and adults of the silver leaf whitefly. Boopathi et al (2013) observed that I. fumosorosea and L. lecanii produced the highest pathogenic to A. dispersus under laboratory conditions than Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin. In India, serious scientific research in crop protection using entomopathogenic fungi against agricultural pests only started in the early 1990s.…”

“…In India, serious scientific research in crop protection using entomopathogenic fungi against agricultural pests only started in the early 1990s. Many of the important vegetable pest species from Lepidoptera, Homoptera, Isoptera and Coleoptera have been tested to be susceptible to various fungal isolates (Geetha, 2000;Aiswariaya et al, 2007;Boopathi et al, 2013) including A. dispersus. The present investigation is to study the usefulness of entomopathogenic fungi, B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, L. lecanii and I. fumosorosea as effective biocontrol agents against the most destructive pest A. dispersus on eggplant.…”

Diversity of Entomopathogenic Fungi in Argane Forest Soil and Their Potential to Manage Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata)

“…This work may be considered as the first record of the high pathogenicity of species of Fusarium, Epicoccum, Scopulariopsis and Aspergillus niger against C. capitata. Fusarium species were considered as saprophytic fungi [35] and also reported to be pathogenic to Aphis gossypii Glover [30], Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood [40,41], Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks [40], Aleurodicus dispersus Russel [42] and to other pests [37]. Species of Aspergillus have been found associated with a large number of insects such as larvae of bees (A. niger), Troglophilus neglectus (A. niger, A. ochraceus), and Culex pipiens (A. ochraceus) [38,39,43].…”