Biocontrol Science and Technology (1995) 5, 465-474

M. Welling, B. Zelazny, R. Scherer and G. Zimmermann (1995)
First record of the entomopathogenic fungus Sorosporella sp. (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) in Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from Madagascar: Symptoms of infection, morphology and infectivity
Biocontrol Science and Technology 5 (4), 465-474
Abstract: In Madagascar, a fungal disease was observed in the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria, which results in the formation of brick-red resting spores filling the of the fungus in capito, which was caused by the deuteromycete Sorosporella sp. and in a pale and fragile cuticle which breaks easily, releasing these spores. The conidia of the fungus (only observed in artificial cultures) are cylindrical in shape, measuring 11.0 times 2.8 mu-m. The growth of the fungus was compared on several solid and liquid media, but was invariably slow. The best growth was obtained on a medium containing 3% ground rice, 3% malt extract, 0.3% peptone and 1.5% agar. Attempts were made to initiate artificial infections in L. migratoria migratorioides and Schistocerca gregaria from a laboratory stock. This was carried out by feeding resting spores or through contact with Sorosporella material from agar cultures, However, it rarely resulted in mortalities with typical symptoms. Inoculations by injection were more successful, and resulted in the formation of resting spores in the cadavers 12 to 21 days after inoculation. In Madagascar, Sorosporella sp. seems to be an important, and frequently occurring, locust pathogen. However, the natural mode of infection and the ecology of the fungus are still unclear.
(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): Gisbert Zimmermann, Bernhard Zelazny

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Locusta migratoria		Madagascar