BioControl (2003) 48, 335-348
Richard J. Milner, Ludivina Barrientos Lozano, Felice Driver and David Hunter (2003)
A comparative study of two Mexican isolates with an Australian isolate of Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum - strain characterisation, temperature profile and virulence for wingless grasshopper, Phaulacridium vittatum
BioControl 48 (3), 335-348
Abstract: Three isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum, FI-985, from the spur-throated locust, Austracris guttulosa from Australia, and QF-01 and QF-02 both from Schistocerca piceifrons in Mexico were compared. FI-985 had much larger conidia than the other two isolates and also had a different colony appearance. The two Mexican isolates showed small differences in conidial size and colony morphology. Over a range of 6 primers, RAPDs patterns were very similar in that the two Mexican isolates being identical, and FI-985 having some unique bands only with 2 primers. The 3 isolates were also similar in growth profiles on agar plates, and at high temperatures (36°C), QF-01 did not grow while the other two isolates grew slowly. All three isolates were similar in virulence for wingless grasshoppers, Phaulacridium vittatum, at 20-30°C but at 35°C, FI-985 was the most virulent and QF-01 the least over a range of 3 doses. At 15°C, FI-985 was also the most virulent with QF-02 being least virulent. At 30°C, the LD50 at 17 days ranged from 248 conidia for QF-02 to 501 conidia for FI-985, however the differences were not significant (p > 0.05). It is suggested that consideration should be given to using an exotic isolate such as FI-985 as a commercial locust biopesticide in countries such as Mexico, since the isolate is cheap to mass produce, more effective at higher temperatures common in tropical to subtropical Mexico, and relatively resistant to UV.
(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): Richard J. Milner, Ludivina Barrientos-Lozano, David M. Hunter
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
evaluation - screening - selection
Pest and/or beneficial records:
| Beneficial | Pest/Disease/Weed | Crop/Product | Country | Quarant.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schistocerca piceifrons | Mexico | |||
| Austracris guttulosa | ||||
| Phaulacridium vittatum | ||||
| Metarhizium acridum (entomopathogen) | Schistocerca piceifrons | Mexico | ||
| Metarhizium acridum (entomopathogen) | Austracris guttulosa | |||
| Metarhizium acridum (entomopathogen) | Phaulacridium vittatum |
