Pest Management Science (2020) 76, 1472-1482

Fernanda Canassa, Celeste P. D'Alessandro, Sidcleide B. Sousa, Clarice G.B. Demétrio, Nicolai V. Meyling, Ingeborg Klingen and Italo Delalibera Jr (2020)
Fungal isolate and crop cultivar influence the beneficial effects of root inoculation with entomopathogenic fungi in strawberry
Pest Management Science 76 (4), 1472-1482
Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Root inoculations of crop plants with beneficial fungi constitute a promising strategy for growth promotion and control of above-ground pests and diseases. Here, strawberry roots (cultivar 'Albion' and 'Pircinque') were inoculated with 25 different Brazilian entomopathogenic fungal isolates of three genera and the effects on Tetranychus urticae oviposition and plant growth were evaluated in greenhouse experiments.
RESULTS
Reductions in the number of T. urticae eggs compared to control treatments were observed on both cultivars inoculated with almost all isolates. For the cultivar 'Albion', Metarhizium anisopliae (ESALQ 1604, ESALQ 1669), M. robertsii (ESALQ 1622, ESALQ 1635), Metarhizium sp. Indet. (ESALQ 1684) and Beauveria bassiana (ESALQ 3323) increased dry weight of roots and leaves, and fruit yield, while M. robertsii (ESALQ 1634), Metarhizium sp. Indet. (ESALQ 1637) and (ESALQ 1636) enhanced fruit yield and dry weight of leaves, respectively. For the cultivar 'Pircinque', M. anisopliae (ESALQ 1669) was the only isolate observed to increase dry weight of roots.
CONCLUSION
The results suggest that inoculation of strawberry roots with entomopathogenic fungi may be an innovative strategy for pest management above ground. Furthermore, these inoculations may also stimulate plant growth and strawberry production, but the effects depend on fungal strains and crop cultivar.
(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): Celeste Paola D'Alessandro, Nicolai Vitt Meyling, Ingeborg Klingen

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
application technology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tetranychus urticae	Strawberry (Fragaria)
Beauveria bassiana (entomopathogen)	Tetranychus urticae	Strawberry (Fragaria)
Metarhizium anisopliae (entomopathogen)	Tetranychus urticae	Strawberry (Fragaria)
Metarhizium robertsii (entomopathogen)	Tetranychus urticae	Strawberry (Fragaria)