Journal of Applied Microbiology (2004) 96, 861-870

C. Wang, M. Fan, Z. Li and T.M. Butt (2004)
Molecular monitoring and evaluation of the application of the insect-pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana in southeast China
Journal of Applied Microbiology 96 (4), 861-870
Abstract: Aims: To monitor the fate of inundatively applied strains of Beauveria bassiana against Masson's pine caterpillar, Dendrolimus punctatus, in Magushan Forest, southeast China, and evaluate the potential environmental risks of biocontrol introduction.
Methods and Results: Filed samplings of mycosed cadavers were carried out continuously for more than one year after the inundative applications of two exotic B. bassiana strains. By employing four complementary molecular markers, the purified cultures from collections were characterized and the two released strains Bb17 and Bb13 were recovered with respective frequencies of 9·1 and 5·2%. The released strains were isolated from nontarget hosts. The genetic diversity of the population of B. bassiana in the trial plot changed dynamically over time and no single genotype strain dominated throughout the sampling period or at different seasons. The indigenous strains were observed to be predominant in the local environment. Co-infection and/or genetic recombination might occur between strains under natural conditions.
Conclusion: Field applications of the biocontrol agent B. bassiana appear to pose no major risk to the environment. There was no evidence of displacement of indigenous strains of B. bassiana.
Significance and Impact of the Study: The results indicate that the introduction of exotic B. bassiana strains can persist in local environment and infect nontarget insect hosts, highlighting the importance of safety assessment of the large-scale application of fungal biocontrol agents.
(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): Chengshu Wang, Zengzhi Li, Tariq M. Butt

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
population dynamics/epizootiology
inundative/inoculative release

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Dendrolimus punctatus		China (south)
Beauveria bassiana (entomopathogen)	Dendrolimus punctatus		China (south)