Environmental Microbiology Reports (2019) 11, 508-517

Yosia Mukasa, Samuel Kyamanywa, Julius P. Sserumaga, Michael Otim, Venansio Tumuhaise, Mark Erbaugh and James P. Egonyu (2019)
An atoxigenic L-strain of Aspergillus flavus (Eurotiales: Trichocomaceae) is pathogenic to the coffee twig borer, Xylosandrus compactus (Coleoptera: Curculionidea: Scolytinae)
Environmental Microbiology Reports 11 (4), 508-517
Abstract: This study isolated and evaluated virulence of fungal entomopathogens of Xylosandrus compactus – an important pest of Robusta coffee in Sub-Saharan Africa. A survey was conducted in five farming systems in Uganda to isolate entomopathogens associated with X. compactus. Four fungal isolates were screened for virulence against X. compactus in the laboratory at 1 × 10⁷ conidia ml^-1 where an atoxigenic L-strain of A. flavus killed 70%–100% of all stages of X. compactus compared with other unidentified isolates which caused 20%–70% mortalities. The time taken by A. flavus to kill 50% of X. compactus eggs, larvae, pupae and adults in the laboratory was 2–3 days; whereas the other unidentified fungal isolates took 4–7 days. The concentrations of A. flavus that killed 50% of different stages of X. compactus were 5 × 10⁵, 12 × 10⁵, 17 × 10⁵ and 30 × 10⁵ conidia ml^-1 for larvae, eggs, pupae and adults respectively. A formulation of A. flavus in oil caused higher mortalities of X. compactus larvae, pupae and adults in the field (71%–79%) than its formulation in water (33%–47%). The atoxigenic strain of A. flavus could therefore be developed into a safe biopesticide against X. compactus.
(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): Samuel Kyamanywa, Michael Otim

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
evaluation - screening - selection

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Xylosandrus compactus		Uganda
Aspergillus flavus (entomopathogen)	Xylosandrus compactus		Uganda