Entomopathogenic Potential of <i>Simplicillium lanosoniveum</i> Native Strain in Suppressing Invasive Whitefly, <i>Aleurodicus</i> <i>rugioperculatus</i> Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Infesting Coconut
In 2016, infestation of an exotic polyphagous pest, the rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW), <i>Aleurodicus rugioperculatus</i> Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), was documented on coconut for the first time in India. Instantaneously, RSW has garnered wide attention owing to its damage severit...
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| Autores principales: | , , , , , |
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| Formato: | article |
| Lenguaje: | EN |
| Publicado: |
MDPI AG
2021
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://doaj.org/article/6fa01b340ce3482ca26f2c5824ff05ac |
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| Sumario: | In 2016, infestation of an exotic polyphagous pest, the rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW), <i>Aleurodicus rugioperculatus</i> Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), was documented on coconut for the first time in India. Instantaneously, RSW has garnered wide attention owing to its damage severity and rapid spread across the coconut-growing regions of the country. Hence, an attempt was made to devise a sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) module using biological control agents as a mainstay component. The present study documented the identification and characterization of a potential entomopathogenic fungal isolate for the management of RSW. An entomopathogenic fungus isolated from nymphal cadavers of RSW was identified as <i>Simplicillium lanosoniveum</i> based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses. A gradient of five conidial concentrations (1 × 10<sup>4</sup>, 1 × 10<sup>5</sup>, 1 × 10<sup>6</sup>, 1 × 10<sup>7</sup> and 1 × 10<sup>8</sup> conidia/mL) of the <i>S.</i><i>lanosoniveum</i> were tested against eggs, first instars, second to third instars and pupae of RSW. Results revealed that <i>S.</i><i>lanosoniveum</i> is highly virulent to all developmental stages of RSW by causing mortality rates of 95.20%, 87.33%, 85.38% and 72.85%, in eggs, initial, middle and later instar nymphs of RSW, respectively, at the highest tested concentration (1 × 10<sup>8</sup> conidia/mL) at seven days after exposure. The LC<sub>50</sub> and LT<sub>50</sub> values of <i>S.</i><i>lanosoniveum</i> were 4.72 × 10<sup>4</sup>, 4.94 × 10<sup>4</sup>, 5.11 × 10<sup>5</sup>, 5.92 × 10<sup>5</sup> conidia/mL and 4.27, 4.86, 4.56, 5.89 days against eggs, initial, middle and later instar nymphs of RSW, respectively. Further, preliminary field trials with <i>S.</i><i>lanosoniveum</i> strain at 1 × 10<sup>8</sup> conidia/mL exhibited a significant reduction in the egg and nymphal population by 57.8% and 56.3%, respectively. This report thus demonstrated that the newly isolated <i>S.</i><i>lanosoniveum</i> is an effective pathogen at suppressing all the developmental stages of RSW. This is the first record of <i>S.</i><i>lanosoniveum</i> infecting RSW, and it has a great potential to be developed as a mycoinsecticide. |
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