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Relative percentages of dead B. tabaci nymphs showing fungal outgrowth after immersion in suspensions (1.0 × 10⁸ conidia ml⁻¹) of three B. bassiana (Bb04, EABb 04/01-Tip, EABb 01/33-Su) and two M. brunneum (EAMb 09/01-Su and EAMa 01/58-Su) strains. Data are presented as the mean ± standard error
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Three Beauveria bassiana and two Metarhizium brunneum strains, two of which GFP-transformed, were evaluated for virulence against fourth-instar nymphs of the sweet potato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (B. tabaci nymphs, BTN), with the following results. (1) Immersion of infested melon leaves in suspensions ranging from 105 to 108 conidia ml−1 yielded an...
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Citations
... In biological control, endophytic colonization by entomopathogenic fungi has been used to protect plants from chewing and sap-sucking insects, promote plant growth, and protect plants against a number of phytopathogens (Resqun-Romero et al., 2016;Garrido-Jurado et al., 2017;Jaber and Ownley, 2018;Vega, 2018;Dara, 2019). According to several research (Gualandi et al., 2014;Shrivastava et al., 2015;Rondot and Reineke, 2019), endophytes trigger the plant immune system and activate plant defenses, which is why this occurs. ...
The research aims to evaluate the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana in suppressing spider mites, leafminers, thrips, and whiteflies, key pests that significantly impact cucumber production.
... Synergistic applications of M. brunneum on alfalfa, tomato, and melon plants lead to endophytic colonization, causing an increase in mortality rates of Spodoptera littoralis larvae when they feed directly on the inoculated plants. Particularly in melon, a whitefly mortality rate of 53% was observed (Garrido-Jurado et al., 2017;Jaber & Ownley, 2018). ...
Objective: Mycorrhizal fungi are a group of microorganisms that live insithusants, thus, maintaining perceptible associations with their host plants in certain parts of their life cycle. They can be characterized by their capacity to synthesize secondary metabolites and to promote growth and induce plant-disease resistance, therefore, gaining greater biotechnological importance in pest and diseases management for crops of agricultural relevance. The study of these microorganisms has been a widely researched area subject for more than half a century. Design/methodology/approach: Their biology and molecular relationships in plant-microorganism interactions, on the other hand, have only recently begun to gain relevance for understanding the colonization process in recent decades. There has been observed a complexity in the generation of formulations that can guarantee the permanence of fungi outside the host plant. Findings/conclusions: This review article will address topics related to their biology, ecological role, possible negative effects on commercially important animals, and successful cases in Mexico regarding biotechnological products based on these microorganisms.
... Beyond their direct antagonistic effect on pathogens, research suggests that incorporating these fungi into crop production systems can promote overall plant health and growth. Studies by [30] and [33] have shown that Beauveria spp. and Metarhizium spp. ...
... Notably, these fungi have been successfully employed against R. solani in a wide range of host plants [27,34]. The mechanisms underlying their antagonistic activity involve both mycoparasitism, where they directly parasitize the pathogen, and the induction of plant resistance [33][34][35][36]. Besides, Beauveria spp. ...
Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium spp. are entomopathogenic fungi with potential applications beyond insect pest control, including plant disease suppression, plant growth promotion, and rhizosphere colonization. This study investigated the plant growth-promoting characteristics and extracellular enzyme activities of Metarhizium spp. and B. bassiana in relation to phytopathogen interactions and plant growth. Additionally, the efficacy of these fungi in mitigating damping-off and root rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani on cucumber plants was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results indicate that B. bassiana and M. anisopliae produce indole-3-acetic acid, hydrocyanic acid, and hydrolytic enzymes. Seed treatment with these fungi significantly reduced disease severity (3.85%–1.86%, respectively) and enhanced germination parameters [germination percentage (85.33%–86%, respectively), germination index (10.67–12.29, respectively), seedling length vigor index (86.41–109.44, respectively), and seedling weight vigor index (30.24–37.57, respectively)] compared to the control positive. Both fungi demonstrated high inhibition rates of R. solani mycelial growth (93.90%–90.46%, respectively). Greenhouse trials revealed that preventive treatments using B. bassiana and M. anisopliae increased catalase (104.40–105.52 units/mg protein/min, respectively), (4.58–5.77 units/mg protein/min, respectively), superoxide dismutase (40.65–41.74 units/mg protein/min, respectively), and polyphenol oxidase (0.539–0.559 units/mg protein/min, respectively) activities, as well as total phenolic (2.60–2.65 mg/g, respectively) and total sugar content (2.23–2.16 mg/g, respectively) in cucumber plants. Consequently, disease severity (9.51–6.99%, respectively) was reduced, and plant height (93.76–98.76 cm, respectively) increased compared to the positive control. These findings suggest that B. bassiana and M. anisopliae can enhance plant growth, stimulate plant defense mechanisms, and effectively control damping-off and root rot diseases, making them promising candidates for biological control strategies.
... Entomopathogenic fungi are great potentials for suppressing the population of insect pests, offering advantages in reducing insect resistance and promoting plant growth [34][35][36][37][38][39] . Several of these fungi have been developed as effective biological control agents against pests 40 . ...
Major symbiotic organisms have evolved to establish beneficial relationships with hosts. However, understanding the interactions between symbionts and insect hosts, particularly for their roles in defense against pathogens, is still limited. In a previous study, we proposed that the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae can infect the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, a harmful pest for rice crops. To expand on this, we investigated changes in N. lugens’ intestinal commensal community after M. anisopliae infection and identified key gut microbiotas involved. Our results showed significant alterations in gut microbiota abundance and composition at different time points following infection with M. anisopliae. Notably, certain symbionts, like Acinetobacter baumannii, exhibited significant variations in response to the fungal infection. The decrease in these symbionts had a considerable impact on the insect host’s survival. Interestingly, reintroducing A. baumannii enhanced the host’s resistance to M. anisopliae, emphasizing its role in pathogen defense. Additionally, A. baumannii stimulated host immune responses, as evidenced by increased expression of immune genes after reintroduction. Overall, our findings highlight the significance of preserving a stable gut microbial community for the survival of insects. In specific conditions, the symbiotic microorganism A. baumannii can enhance the host’s ability to resist entomopathogenic pathogens through immune regulation.
... For the application of EEF various methods are available, but two of them constitute the majority of scientific studies developed by the scientific community, namely the promotion of plant growth and their impact as biological control agents of plant pathogens (Fontana et al., 2021). In this regard, pioneering studies document different application strategies: through known conidia suspensions (Garrido-Jurado et al., 2017;Jaber and Enkerli, 2017), direct inoculation of seeds (Ramakuwela et al., 2020), injection of inoculum in stems (Mantzoukas and Eliopoulos, 2020), inoculation of roots by immersion (Russo et al., 2015), and through irrigation with conidia suspensions (Sánchez-Rodríguez et al., 2018). ...
The use of entomopathogenic fungi (EF) as endophytes is an environmentally friendly alternative for sustainable food production, given that the current paradigm in crop protection is based on the use of organosynthetic pesticides, with more than two million tons per year worldwide. For these reasons, EF have the ability to live within plant tissues as endophytes acting as biopesticides. Under this scenario, this review analyzes and discusses the global status of the endophytic entomopathogenic fungi (EEF), their potential in plant protection against plant diseases and insect pests and as plant growth promoters. Successes and failures, and prospects for field application are examined. More than 7000 studies on EEF have been published, with important success cases. However, it is necessary to understand that the agricultural production is based on the use of external inputs, mainly pesticides. While progressive changes occur, it is fundamental to investigate the effect of these substances on the efficacy and persistence of EEF, without neglecting that the lack of knowledge of the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on EEF is an important cause of failures. Future studies should be focused on clarifying aspects such as: application strategies, endophytic persistence and transmission routes to improve the sustainability of agricultural production.
... 56 Destruxin A concentrations were also detected in potato, Solanum tuberosum L., and melon, Cucumis melo L., leaves after inoculation with several Metarhizium brunneum (Petch) strains. 57,58 These compounds play a crucial role in the fungal infection process, and it is possible that they affect herbivores as well. 59 For example, destruxin A produced by M. robertsii can cause mortality rates of up to 100% of adults of the West Indian fruit fly, Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart). ...
Entomopathogenic fungi capable of establishing mutualistic endophytic relationships with plants have a tremendous potential as biocontrol agents of insect pests. While fungi have long played an important and highly effective role in pest suppression, the utility of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi in pest management is a relatively new and emerging topic of biocontrol. Here we discuss the relevance of endophytic fungi to plant health in general, synthesize the current knowledge of the effectiveness of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi against diverse insect pests, discuss the indirect plant‐mediated effects of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi on arthropods, and describe the diverse benefits of endophytic fungi to plants that are likely to affect herbivores and plant pathogens as well. Lastly, we consider major challenges to incorporating endophytic entomopathogenic fungi in biocontrol, such as their non‐target effects and field efficacy, which can be variable and influenced by environmental factors. Continued research on endophyte–insect–plant–environment interactions is critical to advancing our knowledge of these fungi as a sustainable pest management tactic. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
... Previous studies by our group showed that endophytic colonization of melon plants was transient and temporary when strains were applied via foliar application (Resquín-Romero et al. 2016b;Garrido-Jurado et al. 2017); and that EAMa 01/58-Su primed defense mechanisms in cucurbits after root immersion (García-Espinoza et al. 2023b, 2023a. ...
... Galia) in all experiments. Seeds were surface sterilized as described previously (Garrido-Jurado et al. 2017). ...
... Soil drenching and seed coating were as effective as leaf spraying for initiating sublethal effects on S. littoralis. Our previous studies demonstrated that these strains achieved temporal and transient endophytic colonization of melon plants (Resquín-Romero et al. 2016b;Ríos-Moreno et al. 2016;Garrido-Jurado et al. 2017). Additionally, Rasool et al. (2021) suggested that the frequency of endophytic colonization by EF did not determine subsequent effects on aphid populations. ...
Endophytic and rhizosphere-competent entomopathogenic fungi (EF) are important plant bodyguards, although the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the roles of antibiosis (lethal and sublethal effects), and potential growth compensation (in response to leaf injury) in melon plants exposed to cotton leafworm. Plants were inoculated with one of three EF strains (EAMa 0158-Su Metarhizium brunneum strain or EABb 04/01-Tip and EABb 01/33-Su Beauveria bassiana strains) by either foliar spray, seed dressing or soil drenching and then challenged with either multiple short-term, or single long-term Spodoptera littoralis larval infestation. Endophytic colonization and relative expression of plant defense genes were tracked using molecular techniques alongside evaluation of antibiosis effects on S. littoralis and plant tolerance to larval-induced leaf injuries. Inoculated plants exhibited antibiosis and potential growth compensation in responses to various S. littoralis challenges, which resulted in increased fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll content, number of secondary branches and stem diameter. Furthermore, up-regulation in the relative expression of ethylene (ACO1, ACO3, EIN2, EIN3) and jasmonic acid (LOX2)-related genes were observed, with the endophytic B. bassiana- induction of ethylene and jasmonic acid production being higher in S. littoralis infested plants. Our findings strongly confirm the EF multifunctionality and the involvement of the Endophytic EF triggered melon defensive system induction in the antibiosis and compensatory growth to protect melon plants from pest damage.
... The effectiveness of several endophytic EA against some of the most destructive piercing-sucking melon pests, such as Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), has been well documented (Resquín-Romero et al. 2016b;Garrido-Jurado et al. 2017;González-Mas et al. 2019a). In addition, the response of melon plants to EA colonization in terms of defense induction (González-Guzmán et al. 2022;García-Espinoza et al. 2023a, b), which can ultimately influence multitrophic interactions involving melon, A. gossypii and their natural enemies, predators and parasitoids, such as Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and Aphidius colemani (Dalman) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), respectively (González-Mas et al. 2019a;Quesada-Moraga et al. 2022), has also been documented. ...
... Galia) were employed. These seeds, which had undergone prior surface sterilization following the method outlined by (Garrido-Jurado et al. 2017), were germinated. Germination was carried out in 500 ml sterilized pots filled with universal black peat (Floragard, Germany), which was subjected to double sterilization in an autoclave at 121 °C for 30 min, with a 24-h interval, as described by González-Mas et al. (2019a). ...
... Endophytic colonization monitoring was carried out from leaves collected at 2, 7, 14, 21 and 28 d after leaf spraying and soil drenching (SF 1D). Assessment of colonization by conventional methods was carried out according to Garrido-Jurado et al. (2017), González-Mas et al. (2019a, b) and Miranda-Fuentes et al. (2021). Following the same methodology, endophytic colonization was also evaluated on fruits (including mesocarp and seeds) collected at 115 DAS in the second experiment (SF 1H). ...
This study delves into the compatible use of a parasitoid with multifunctional endophytic Entomopathogenic Ascomycetes (EA) in IPM under greenhouse conditions. The parasitoid Hyposoter didymator was evaluated against Spodoptera littoralis in a multitrophic system with melon plants that were endophytically colonized by one of three EA strains (Metarhizium brunneum [one] or Beauveria bassiana [two]). In the first scenario, plants were inoculated by three different methods, and after infestation with noctuid larvae, the parasitoid was released at a 1:20 ratio. Microbiological and molecular techniques allowed the identification of progressive colonization throughout the whole plant life cycle, and for B. bassiana, approximately 20% of seeds from new fruits were colonized. The parasitoid was shown to be compatible with all strains and application methods, with total mortality rates ranging from 11.1 to 77.8%. Significant lethal and sublethal effects, a decrease in pupal weight and mortality of pupae showing abnormalities and an extension of the immature developmental times were observed for different strain–application method combinations. Additionally, the fungal treatments improved crop growth, as revealed by the significant gains in plant weight. In a second scenario (by inoculating plants with the fungi only by leaf spraying), and after infestation with noctuid larvae, the parasitoid was released at a 1:10 ratio, which revealed the remote fungal effect from the inoculation point and confirmed the compatibility of the parasitoid-EA-based strategy. These findings underscore the compatible use of a parasitoid with endophytic EA for S. littoralis control that can additionally exploit their multifunctionality for sustainable crop production.
... The observed colonisation of different plant organs indicated that these fungi may move systemically throughout the plant [23] [58] [64]. Early studies in this area reported that B. bassiana can colonise the spaces between parenchymal cells and can move within the plant and colonise untreated tissues [65] [66]. ...
Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Cordycipitaceae) is an entomopathogenic fungus used as an ecofriendly insecticide to infect arthropods. B. bassiana also possesses endophytic activity to contribute to plant growth. This study aimed to evaluate the potential insecticidal and endophytic activity of native B. bas-siana isolates. The nymphal and adult stages of the apple tree aphid (Aphis pomi) and whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) were used as targets in bio-insecticidal experiments, and vegetables (beans, tomatoes and cucumbers) were used as targets in biostimulant experiments. The endophytic activity of the B. bassiana strains was assessed after inoculation them to the crop seeds and plants via soil drenching, foliar spraying and seed immersion. In bean plants, seed immersion was the most effective application method. Soil drenching was more effective in the cucumber and tomato plants. The results of in vitro bioassay tests against pests have revealed the LC 50 and LT 50 values of B. bassiana isolate Col-2. The LC 50 of this isolate for A. pomi adults and nymphs was 2.5 × 10 6 conidia/mL −1 ; for T. vaporariorum, it was lower 1.8 × 10 6 co-nidia/mL −1. Such mortality occurred after 55.49 h. in A. pomi adults and nymphs (LT 50), after 62.3 h. in T. vaporariorum (LT 50).
... Consequently, several studies have explored the efficiency of different EPF species to manage Bemisia tabaci in both field and glasshouse settings. [43][44][45] However, there are several reports on the inconsistencies of the EPF on different developmental stages of the pest due to their specific pathogenicity and environmental variables. Hence, in this study, we investigated the efficacy of different EPF against different developmental stages of Bemisia tabaci, and the influence of RH on their efficacy. ...
BACKGROUND
Sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is one of the most destructive pests to an extensive range of crops and vegetables. Pesticide‐dependent management programs have led to severe health problems, including pesticide poisoning and cancer in human beings, as well as pesticide resistance in insect pests. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are considered safe and highly effective against many pests. Therefore, identifying the pathogenicity and virulence of EPFs against Bemisia tabaci is a valuable addition to the management of their infestations. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of conidia suspensions of Aschersonia aleyrodis, Isaria fumosorosea, Beauveria bassiana, and Akanthomyces muscarius (= Lecanicillium muscarium) against nymphal stages of Bemisia tabaci in cucumber seedlings under both optimal and suboptimal conditions.
RESULTS
All of the EPFs demonstrated significant ovicidal effects, with the highest cumulative mortalities observed in Aschersonia aleyrodis (96.46%) and I. fumosorosea‐treated (94.60%) seedlings against host eggs and crawlers. Similarly, in the L4‐instars experiment, Aschersonia aleyrodis and I. fumosorosea were the most efficient, resulting in cumulative mortalities of 94.82% and 94.75%, respectively. However, Bemisia tabaci cumulative mortalities on seedlings treated with Akanthomyces muscarius (78.36%) and Beauveria bassiana (85.90%) were also significantly different from untreated seedlings (7.10%). Under suboptimal relative humidity (RH) conditions (≤ 45% RH), Aschersonia aleyrodis exhibited greater tolerance to harsh conditions, causing a significantly higher infection rate in L1–L2 nymphs (~92%) compared to the approximately 32% infected young nymphs observed in I. fumosorosea‐treated seedlings.
CONCLUSION
All the selected EPF were more effective against the young nymphal instars. Our results also highlight the efficacy of Aschersonia aleyrodis under suboptimal conditions. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
