Journal of Entomological Science (2003) 38, 342-358

Jianzhong Sun, James R. Fuxa and Gregg Henderson (2003)
Virulence and in vitro characteristics of pathogenic fungi isolated from soil by baiting with Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)
Journal of Entomological Science 38 (3), 342-358
Abstract: Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) was used as "bait" to isolate pathogenic fungi from soil. Ninety soil samples were collected from woodlands and pastures in the vicinities of Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lake Charles, LA, from which six Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin and nine Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin isolates were obtained. Numbers of fungal isolates from the three sampling locations did not differ, but more isolates were found in woodlands than in pastures. Median lethal doses (LD₅₀s) of these fungal species to C. formosanus were interspersed, indicating that fungal isolates rather than species had the greatest effect on virulence. Among nine Louisiana and two USDA isolates of B. bassiana, LD₅₀s ranged from 4.95 x 10³ to 4.96 x 10⁵ conidia/termite, a difference of 100X. LD₅₀s of six Louisiana and four USDA isolates of M. anisopliae ranged from 7.89 x 10³ to 1.22 x 10⁵ conidia/termite. Survival time also was used to compare virulence; M. anisopliae infections caused significantly shorter host survival times than B. bassiana. In vitro growth characteristics were significantly correlated with virulence against termites, suggesting that the characteristics of a fungus growing on agar might contribute to estimating the fungal virulence in vivo.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Coptotermes formosanus		U.S.A. (mid S)
Beauveria bassiana (entomopathogen)	Coptotermes formosanus		U.S.A. (mid S)
Metarhizium anisopliae (entomopathogen)	Coptotermes formosanus		U.S.A. (mid S)