Journal of Insect Science (2022) 22 (4 - ieac040)

Nguya K. Maniania, Maribel M. Portilla, Fayaz M. Amnulla, David K. Mfuti, Andrei Darie, Geetika Dhiman and Ishtiaq M. Rao (2022)
Infectivity of entomopathogenic fungal isolates against tarnished plant bug Lygus lineolaris (Hemiptera: Miridae)
Journal of Insect Science 22 (4 - ieac040)
Abstract: Twelve isolates of entomopathogenic fungi belonging to Metarhizium robertsii, M. pinghaense, M. brunneum, Beauveria bassiana, and Isaria fumosorosea were screened against tarnished plant bug. All isolates were pathogenic, causing mortality from 28.8 ± 3.4 to 96.3 ± 2.7%. The LT₅₀ values ranged from 2.7 to 6.0 d while the LT₉₀ values varied between 6.6 and 15.0 d. Metarhizium robertsii isolate CPD6 (will be under the trade name NoVil) was among the isolates that caused high mortality within shorter times and was selected for study on developmental stages and greenhouse trial. The third-, fourth-, and fifth-instar nymphs, and adults were inoculated with 10⁶, 10⁷, and 10⁸ conidia per ml of NoVil. All the stages were susceptible to fungal infection. However, third and fourth instars were the most susceptible with no significant differences in mortality across the three concentrations. On the other hand, mortality was dose-dependent with fifth-instar nymph and adult stages. The LT₅₀ and LT₉₀ values were also dose-dependent, with higher concentrations having shorter lethal-time values as compared to the lower concentrations. In the greenhouse, pepper plants were sprayed with NoVil and chemical insecticide Flonicamid (as industrial standard), before releasing adult tarnished plant bug. Mortality of 37.3, 75.5, and 76.3% was recorded in the control, NoVil, and Flonicamid, respectively. This study has identified NoVil as a potential mycoinsecticide candidate for the control of tarnished plant bug under greenhouse conditions. Further field testing on juvenile and adults is needed to evaluate the potential for in-field control.
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Database assignments for author(s): Nguya K. Maniania, Maribel Portilla

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.
	Lygus lineolaris		U.S.A. (mid S)
Beauveria bassiana (entomopathogen)	Lygus lineolaris
Metarhizium pingshaense (entomopathogen)	Lygus lineolaris
Metarhizium robertsii (entomopathogen)	Lygus lineolaris
Metarhizium brunneum (entomopathogen)	Lygus lineolaris