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Fungi isolated from insects in strawberry crops act as potential biological control agents of Duponchelia fovealis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

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Abstract

Entomopathogenic fungi were collected from insects, belonging to orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Diptera, with signs of infection. Single-spore colonies were identified based on morphological traits and ribosomal ITS sequences. The most commonly found fungi were Fusarium oxysporum Schlechtendal and Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin. Isolation of Trichoderma atroviride Bisset, Aspergillus flavipes (Bainier and Sartory) Thom and Church, Aspergillus iizukae Sugiyama, Penicillium mallochii Rivera, Urb and Seifert, Penicillium adametzioides S. Abe ex G. Smith, and Mucor nidicola Madden, Stchigel, Guarro and Starks associated to insects is reported for the first time. Tests with B. bassiana isolates against Duponchelia fovealis Zeller (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), showed high larval mortality in vitro and in greenhouse, demonstrating its potential as biological control agent. Understanding the fungal microbiota from insects can provide promising isolates for use in integrated pest management programs. This is the first report characterizing the mycobiota in insects collected in strawberry crops, and evaluating the pathogenicity of B. bassiana against D. fovealis, a pest that causes severe losses to farmers.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to express our deepest appreciation for the financial support received from National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). We thank the National Council for the Improvement of Higher Education (CAPES), and Federal University of Parana. We are also grateful to Novozymes BioAg for providing Bovemax® and Methamax®, especially Dr. Maria Silvia Pereira Leite, and the staff of the Laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular Biology and Laboratory of Entomology Prof. Angelo Moreira da Costa Lima.

Funding

This study was supported by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) under Grant 38-2013.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular Biology (LabMicro), Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Av. Cel. Francisco H. dos Santos, s/n, Curitiba, 81531-980, Brazil

    Carolina Gracia Poitevin, Mariana Vieira Porsani & Ida Chapaval Pimentel

  2. Department of Plant Science, Agricultural Science Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Rodovia Admar Gonzaga 1346, Florianópolis, 88034-000, Brazil

    Alex Sandro Poltronieri

  3. Laboratory of Entomology Professor Ângelo Moreira da Costa Lima, Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Av. Cel. Francisco H. dos Santos, s/n, Curitiba, 81531-980, Brazil

    Maria Aparecida Cassilha Zawadneak

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  1. Carolina Gracia Poitevin
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Correspondence to Carolina Gracia Poitevin.

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Poitevin, C.G., Porsani, M.V., Poltronieri, A.S. et al. Fungi isolated from insects in strawberry crops act as potential biological control agents of Duponchelia fovealis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Appl Entomol Zool 53, 323–331 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13355-018-0561-0

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