Isolation and characterization of Beauveria and Metarhizium spp. from walnut fields and their pathogenicity against the codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

• Published in: Egyptian journal of biological pest control Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 1 - 6
• Main Authors: Gürlek, Songül, Sevim, Ali, Sezgin, Fikriye Milletli, Sevim, Elif
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 12-06-2018; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Codling moth; Cydia pomonella; Entomopathogenic fungi; Life Sciences; Pathogenicity; Walnut; Zoology; Pathogenicity; Codling moth; Entomopathogenic fungi; Walnut
• ISSN: 2536-9342; 2536-9342
• DOI: 10.1186/s41938-018-0055-y

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs) play an important role for regulating insect pest populations, as they exist in many different ecosystems. Within these fungi,
Beauveria
and
Metarhizium
spp. genera include species that are the most commercially important. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity and distribution of
Beauveria
and
Metarhizium
spp. in walnut fields of Kırşehir, Turkey, and to evaluate their pathogenicity against
Cydia pomonella
(L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). To perform this, 90 soil samples were collected from walnut fields where
Beauveria
and
Metarhizium
spp. were isolated from these soils, using selective media. The isolated 40 fungi were characterized based on their morphological and molecular characteristics including
Bloc
and
β-tubulin
gene sequences. Also, eight selected fungi were tested against
C. pomonella
larvae under laboratory conditions. The fungal isolates were identified as
Beauveria pseudobassiana
(15),
B. bassiana
(12),
Metarhizium robertsii
(11), and
M. brunneum
(13).
M. brunneum
ELA-38 caused 83% mortality within 2 weeks after application of 1 × 10
8
conidia/ml. Consequently,
Beauveria
and
Metarhizium
spp. are the common component of the soils collected from walnut fields and some of fungi obtained from this work might be beneficial in the future biological control programs of
C. pomonella
.