Detection of presumptive mycoparasites associated with Entomophaga maimaiga resting spores in forest soils

Healthy (inset) and parasitized Entomophaga maimaiga resting spores. [Display omitted] •Entomophaga maimaiga causes epizootics in gypsy moth populations.•Resting spores persist in the soil but numbers decline over time.•Resting spores were used as bait in soil collected at bases of oaks after epizoo...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of invertebrate pathology Vol. 124; pp. 87 - 89
Main Authors: Castrillo, Louela A., Hajek, Ann E.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-01-2015
Subjects:
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Healthy (inset) and parasitized Entomophaga maimaiga resting spores. [Display omitted] •Entomophaga maimaiga causes epizootics in gypsy moth populations.•Resting spores persist in the soil but numbers decline over time.•Resting spores were used as bait in soil collected at bases of oaks after epizootics.•Under optimal lab conditions, most resting spores used as bait were parasitized.•Presumptive mycoparasites Pochonia sp. and Pythium spp. located with resting spores. The fungal pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga can provide high levels of control of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, an important forest defoliator. This fungus persists in the soil as resting spores and occurs naturally throughout many areas where gypsy moth is established. Studies on the spatial dynamics of gypsy moth population have shown high variability in infection levels, and one possible biological factor could be the variable persistence of E. maimaiga resting spores in the soil due to attacks by mycoparasites. We surveyed presumptive mycoparasites associated with parasitized E. maimaiga resting spores using baiting and molecular techniques and identified an ascomycete (Pochonia sp.) and oomycetes (Pythium spp.).
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:0022-2011
1096-0805
DOI:10.1016/j.jip.2014.11.006