Parasites and Vectors (2018) 11 (209) - Native entomopathogenic ...

Etienne Bilgo, Brian Lovett, Raymond J. St. Leger, Antoine Sanon, Roch K. Dabiré and Abdoulaye Diabaté (2018)
Native entomopathogenic Metarhizium spp. from Burkina Faso and their virulence against the malaria vector Anopheles coluzzii and non-target insects
Parasites and Vectors 11 (209)
Abstract:
Background
Genetically enhanced Metarhizium pingshaense are being developed for malaria vector control in Burkina Faso. However, not much is known about the local prevalence and pathogenicity of this fungus, so we prospected mosquitoes and plant roots (a common habitat for Metarhizium spp.) for entomopathogenic fungi.
Results
Our investigations showed that Metarhizium spp. represented between 29–74% of fungi isolated from plant root rhizospheres in diverse collection sites. At low spore dosages (1 × 10⁶ conidia/ml), two mosquito-derived M. pingshaense isolates (Met_S26 and Met_S10) showed greater virulence against Anopheles coluzzii (LT₈₀ of ~7 days) than isolates tested in previous studies (LT₈₀ of ~10 days). In addition, the local isolates did not cause disease in non-target insects (honeybees and cockroaches).
Conclusions
Our work provides promising findings for isolating local Metarhizium strains for application in mosquito biological control and for future transgenic biocontrol strategies in Burkina Faso.
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Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Raymond J. St. Leger, Abdoulaye Diabate, Antoine Sanon

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.
	Anopheles coluzzii		Burkina Faso
Metarhizium pingshaense (entomopathogen)	Anopheles coluzzii		Burkina Faso