Functional identification and characterization of midgut microbial flora derived from lepidopteran larvae Spodoptera litura Fab.

Abstract

Spodoptera litura are important agricultural pest, and they have a worldwide distribution. The microbiota gut is vital for the host with significant activity in metabolism. Lepidopteran species is one of the prominent orders in insect group of phytophagous pests, and their linkage with microbes are presently practiced and others with future perspectives. In this present investigation of gut microbiota isolation and identification from larvae of S. litura and to assess the midgut bacteria role of in promoting survival to pesticides. Based on the preliminary screening, we screened three different bacterial species isolated from the gut microbial communities of S. litura , viz. gram-positive bacteria Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium butyricum, gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas putida . Present study the detection of bacteria in the midgut by using general microbial technique and the 16s rRNA sequence was used for characterizing the selected microbes. Besides, the bacterial DNA quality was tested by using agarose gel electrophoresis techniques. Phylogenetic analysis using the neighbor-joining tree shows similarity with other bacterial genera. And also pesticide tolerant ability was analyzed with isolated midgut bacterial communities of the bioassay method. It concludes the C. botulinum bacterium was tested for its role in protecting S. litura larvae against cypermethrin toxicity. The results displayed that S. litura survived well in the combinations of cypermethrin along with C. botulinum. Pesticide metabolism in insects, helping to survive in unfavorable environments. • Isolation and molecular characterization of midgut microbiota from agricultural pest of Spodoptera litura. • Three different microbial communities were isolated from the midgut of lepidopteran pest. • TThe bacterial community exist in the insect midgut plays a major role in metabolizing pesticides.