Acta Entomologica Sinica (2004) 47, 349-353

Bo-Wen Geng and Run-Jie Zhang (2004)
[Effects of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum on the predation of two paddyfield spiders on the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Homoptera : Delphacidae)]
Acta Entomologica Sinica 47 (3), 349-353
Abstract: Laboratory studies were conducted to determine the pathogenicity of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum Driver et Milner on paddyfield spiders Pirata subpiraticus Bösenberg et Strand and Ummeliata insecticeps Bösenberg et Strand, to evaluate the effects of the fungus on the predating efficiency of the spiders on the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål. The results indicated that Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum had no pathogenicity on both Pirata subpiraticus and Ummelita insecticeps. However, the activity of brown planthoppers decreased apparently after being infected with conidia of Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum, that caused increase of the predating efficiency of the paddyfield spiders. At concentrations of 10⁶, 10⁷, 10⁸ conidia/mL of Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum, the mean predating efficiency of Pirata subpiraticus on brown plathoppers were 10.5 heads/d, 11.1 heads/d and 11.4 heads/d respectively; for Ummeliata insecticeps, the mean predating efficiency on planthoppers were 3.8 heads/d, 4.3 hoppers/d and 4.7 hoppers/d respectively. Statistical analysis indicated that the differences between the treatments and control were significant. The predating efficiency of the spiders on planthopper increased slightly with the increasing of conidia concentrations of Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
(original language: Chinese)
Database assignments for author(s): Runjie Zhang

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Nilaparvata lugens	Rice (Oryza)
Ummeliata insecticeps (predator)	Nilaparvata lugens	Rice (Oryza)
Pirata subpiraticus (predator)	Nilaparvata lugens	Rice (Oryza)
Metarhizium acridum (entomopathogen)	Nilaparvata lugens	Rice (Oryza)