Annals of Microbiology (2019) 69, 1517-1529

George M. Yada Jr, Igor S. Shiraishi, Robert F.H. Dekker, Jéseka G. Schirmann, Aneli M. Barbosa-Dekker, Isabela C. de Araujo, Lucas M. Abreu and Juliana F.S. Daniel (2019)
Soil and entomopathogenic fungi with potential for biodegradation of insecticides: degradation of flubendiamide in vivo by fungi and in vitro by laccase
Annals of Microbiology 69 (13), 1517-1529
Abstract:
Purpose
Flubendiamide is a highly toxic and persistent insecticide that causes loss of insect muscle functions leading to paralysis and death. The objective was to screen for filamentous fungi in soils where insecticides had been applied, to isolate entomopathogenic fungi from insect larva (Anticarsia gemmatalis) that infest soybean crops, and to use these in biodegradation of insecticides.
Method
Filamentous fungi were isolated from soils, and growth inhibition was evaluated on solid medium containing commercial insecticides, Belt® (flubendiamide) and Actara® (thiamethoxam). A total of 133 fungi were isolated from soil and 80 entomopathogenic fungi from insect larva. Based on growth inhibition tests, ten soil fungi, 2 entomopathogenic fungi, and Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05 (reference standard) were selected for growth on commercial insecticides in solid media. Fungi were grown in submerged fermentation on media containing commercial insecticides and assayed for laccase activity.
Result
Isolates JUSOLCL039 (soil), JUANT070 (insect), and MAMB-05 performed best, and were respectively inhibited by 48.41%, 75.97%, and 79.23% when cultivated on 35 g/L Actara®, and 0.0, 5.42%, and 43.39% on 39.04 g/L Belt®. JUSOLCL039 and JUANT070 were molecularly identified as Trichoderma koningiopsis and Neurospora sp., respectively. The three fungal isolates produced laccase constitutively, albeit at low activities. Fungal growth on pure flubendiamide and thiamethoxam resulted in only thiamethoxam inducing high laccase titers (10.16 U/mL) by JUANT070. Neurospora sp. and B. rhodina degraded flubendiamide by 27.4% and 9.5% in vivo, while a crude laccase from B. rhodina degraded flubendiamide by 20.2% in vitro.
Conclusion
This is the first report of fungi capable of degrading flubendiamide, which have applications in bioremediation.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anticarsia gemmatalis
Trichoderma koningiopsis (antagonist)