Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi are naturally occurring microorganisms that attack insect pests, making them exceptional allies when developing biocontrol strategies. A particular aspect of the ecology of these fungi is that they interact not only with insects but also with plants, being able to colonize them endophytically without causing symptoms of disease. The objectives of this study were to determine the endophytic capacity of different species of entomopathogenic fungi in tobacco plants by means of foliar spraying, to evaluate the persistence in planta of the entomopathogens and the effect of endophytes on consumption by coleopteran pests. A total of 24 strains were analyzed to test endophytic capacity at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post inoculation. A significant effect of the strains was found. On days 7, 14 and 21, the strain that showed the highest colonization percentages was B. bassiana LPSc 1215, and at day 28 B. bassiana strains LPSc 1215 and LPSc 1212 exhibited the best endophytic capacity, maintaining elevated colonization percentages. Choice test results indicated that D. speciosa fed indiscriminately on colonized and non-colonized leaves. The results indicate that B. bassiana LPSc 1215 constitutes a strain that would merit further investigation for the purpose of pest management in tobacco cultivation.
Highlights
Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is an annual plant native to America that is currently grown worldwide
The production of conidia was significatively different for B. bassiana strains at 10 ◦ C (F = 24.53; df = 10; p < 0.0001), at 24 ◦ C (F = 256.85; df = 10; p < 0.0001) and at 30 ◦ C (F = 189.75; df = 10; p < 0.0001) (Table 2)
Mycelial growth of P. lilacinum colonies was relatively fast at 24 ◦ C and 30 ◦ C
Summary
Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is an annual plant native to America that is currently grown worldwide. Despite the adverse effects associated with its consumption, it is a crop that constitutes the main source of income for the economies of certain regions, e.g., South America [1]. One of the major problems associated with its cultivation is that throughout the development cycle, chemical insecticide treatments are applied to control the appearance of insects that affect the leaf. Certain species of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera are harmful since they cause serious yield losses and necessitate the use of large amounts of chemicals to mitigate their effects. These products negatively affect the environment and human health [2]. Integrated pest management programs (IPM) have sought to minimize chemical usage and employ biological control strategies instead, e.g., entomopathogenic fungi [3]
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