Abstract
In Egypt, strawberry is an economically important crop that has recently been destroyed by Pentodon algerinum, a worldwide polyphagous destructive insect pest. This study aimed to distinguish, for the first time, the histopathological and morphological effects of Spodoptera littoralis Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (SpliNPV) and Pentodon algerinum Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (PNPV) on Pentodon algerinum third instar larvae to confirm their success as safe alternative control agents against this pest. The results showed that PNPV and SpliNPV affected Pentodon larvae by the same effects in causing the following: integument deformation and rupture; the destruction of the hypodermal layer resulting in the inhibition of the process of molting into the pupa stage, reducing pest survival; larva leg corrosion, which prevents its spreading; the rupture of fat bodies, which leads to the loss of stored energetic materials; the distortion of muscle sarcolemma and fibers resulting in weakness and softness; the tracheal cuticular layer destruction, which inhibits breathing; midgut rupture with cells detaching from each other; irregular cytoplasm distribution; the loss of the columnar shape of cells; the appearance of vacuoles between cells, which results in their inability to feed or to digest; the swelling, softness, liquefaction, and, lastly, death of the larva.
Highlights
This study aimed to distinguish, for the first time, the histopathological and morphological effects of Spodoptera littoralis Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (SpliNPV) and Pentodon algerinum Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (PNPV) on Pentodon algerinum third instar larvae to confirm their efficacy as eco-friendly safe alternative biological control agents against Pentodon algerinum
This study revealed that PNPV and SpliNPV had the same histopathological and morphological effects on this pest larva
This study aimed to distinguish, for the first time, the histopathological and morphological effects of Spodoptera littoralis Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (SpliNPV) and Pentodon algerinum Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (PNPV) on Pentodon algerinum third instar larvae to confirm their success as eco-friendly safe alternative biological control agents against Pentodon algerinum
Summary
The strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) is of high nutritional value and great economic importance. (Francesca et al, 2012). The strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) is of high nutritional value and great economic importance. In 2014, Egypt ranked 4th globally in the quantity and quality of strawberry production. In 2016–2019, Egypt ranked 6th among the top 10 producers of strawberries worldwide (FAOSTAT, 2021). Pentodon algerinum is a ubiquitous agricultural polyphagous insect pest that has recently been destroying strawberry in Egypt. Pentodon larvae are known as the waste organic manure larvae (White grubs).The larva has a brown head and a thick large arched yellowish body (Abd El-Salam, 2019; Ramadan and Mahmoud, 2021). The larvae live in sandy soil around the roots of plants in a curved shape, forming the letter “C,” and feed on organic matter and plant roots or tubers, causing the plant to wilt and die rapidly (Abd El-Salam 2019; Samah et al, 2021)
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