Journal of Economic Entomology (2018) 111, 1486-1489

Liliane Nachtigall Martins, Ana Paula de Souza Stori de Lara, Márcio Soares Ferreira, Adrise Medeiros Nunes, Daniel Bernardi, Fábio Pereira Leivas Leite and Flávio Roberto Mello Garcia (2018)
Biological activity of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bacillales: Bacillaceae) in Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Journal of Economic Entomology 111 (3), 1486-1489
Abstract: Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is considered to be one of the major pest insects in fruit orchards worldwide. Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bacillales: Bacillaceae) strains are widely used as biological control agents and show high biological activity against different insect species. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological activity of different strains of B. thuringiensis against A. fraterculus larvae and adults. Bioassays were performed using suspensions of bacterial spores/crystals of B. thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti), kurstaki (Btk), and oswaldocruzi (Bto) strains at three concentrations [2 × 10⁷, 2 × 10⁸, and 2 × 10⁹ colony-forming units per ml (CFU ml^-1)]. At a concentration of 2 × 10⁹ CFU ml^-1, a significant larval effect (mortality 60%) was observed when compared with the control treatment. Larvae that ingested spore/crystal suspensions of Bti, Btk, or Bto bacterial strains exhibited significant larval and pupal deformations, leading to a significant decrease (~50%) in the completion of the insects' biological cycle (egg to adult). The B. thuringiensis strains (Bti, Btk, or Bto) at a concentration of 2 × 10⁹ CFU ml^-1 in combination with one food attractant (BioAnastrepha 3% or CeraTrap 1.5%) in formulations of toxic baits provided high mortality (mortality > 85%) of A. fraterculus adults 7 d after treatment. However, the Btk strain in combination with CeraTrap 1.5% caused mortality of 40%. On the basis of these results, the native bacterial strains Bti, Btk, and Bto were considered to be promising candidates as biological control agents against A. fraterculus.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Flávio Roberto Mello Garcia

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.
	Anastrepha fraterculus
Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (entomopathogen)	Anastrepha fraterculus