Biocontrol Science and Technology (2009) 19, 67-79

Bonaventure Vidjannagni Agboton, Italo Delalibera Junior, Rachid Hanna and Andreas von Tiedemann (2009)
Molecular detection and differentiation of Brazilian and African isolates of the entomopathogen Neozygites tanajoae (Entomophthorales: Neozygitaceae) with PCR using specific primers
Biocontrol Science and Technology 19 (1), 67-79
Abstract: Neozygites tanajoae is an entomopathogenic fungus which has been used for biocontrol of the cassava green mite (Mononychellus tanajoa, CGM) in Africa. Establishment and dispersal of Brazilian isolates which have been introduced into some African countries in recent years to improve CGM control was followed with specific PCR assays. Two primer pairs, NEOSSU_F/NEOSSU_R and 8DDC_F/8DDC_R, were used to differentiate isolates collected from several locations in Brazil and from three countries in Africa, Benin, Ghana and Tanzania. The first primer pair enabled the species-specific detection of Neozygites tanajoae, while the second differentiated the Brazilian isolates from those of other geographical origin. PCR assays were designed for detection of fungal DNA in the matrix of dead infested mites since N. tanajoae is difficult to isolate and culture on selective artificial media. Our results show that all isolates (Brazilian and African) that sporulated on mummified mites were amplified with the first primer pair confirming their Neozygites tanajoae identity. The second pair amplified DNA from all the Brazilian isolates, but did not amplify any DNA samples from the African isolates. None of the two primers showed amplification neither from any of the non-sporulating mite extracts nor from the dead uninfected mites used as negative controls. We confirmed that the two primer pairs tested are suitable for the detection and differential identification of N. tanajoae isolates from Brazil and Africa and that they are useful to monitor the establishment and spread of the Brazilian isolates of N. tanajoae introduced into Benin or into other African countries for improvement of CGM biocontrol.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Bonaventure Vidjannagni Agboton, Italo Delalibera, Rachid Hanna

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
molecular biology - genes
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Mononychellus tanajoa		Benin
	Mononychellus tanajoa		Ghana
	Mononychellus tanajoa		Tanzania
Neozygites tanajoae (entomopathogen)	Mononychellus tanajoa		Benin
Neozygites tanajoae (entomopathogen)	Mononychellus tanajoa		Ghana
Neozygites tanajoae (entomopathogen)	Mononychellus tanajoa		Tanzania