1. Variation in physiological host range in three strains of two species of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria
- Author
-
Rohrlich, Clara, Merle, Isabelle, Issa, Mze Hassani, Verger, Manon, Zuin, Michel, Besse, Samantha, Robene, Isabelle, Nibouche, Samuel, and Costet, Laurent
- Subjects
Life Cycles ,Arthropoda ,Death Rates ,Fungal Physiology ,lcsh:Medicine ,Insect Physiology ,Mycology ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,Microbiology ,Host Specificity ,Larvae ,Population Metrics ,Beetles ,Microbial Physiology ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Animals ,Animal Physiology ,Beauveria ,Pest Control, Biological ,lcsh:Science ,Microbial Pathogens ,Invertebrate Physiology ,Fungal Pathogens ,Population Biology ,fungi ,lcsh:R ,Organisms ,Fungal Diseases ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Eukaryota ,H10 - Ravageurs des plantes ,Invertebrates ,Coleoptera ,Insects ,Infectious Diseases ,Medical Microbiology ,Host-Pathogen Interactions ,lcsh:Q ,Pathogens ,Zoology ,Entomology ,Research Article ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
Knowledge of the host range of a biocontrol agent (BCA) is fundamental. Host range determines the BCA's economic potential, as well as the possible risk for non-target organisms. Entomopathogenic fungal strains belonging to the genus Beauveria are widely used as BCA, but our knowledge of their physiological host range is only partial. The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of the physiological host range of three Beauveria strains belonging to two species, B. hoplocheli and B. bassiana. We performed laboratory mortality bioassays to assess their pathogenicity and virulence against nine insect pests, belonging to three orders: Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera. Mortality rate, mean survival time and mycosis rate were used to estimate virulence. Pathogenicity was assessed as the capacity to cause a disease and induce mortality. Virulence was assessed as the severity of the disease based on mortality rate, mean survival time and mycosis rate. The results of this study revealed significant differences in the physiological host range of the three Beauveria strains tested. The three strains were pathogenic to all Diptera and Lepidoptera species tested. In the case of the Coleoptera, only the B. hoplocheli strain was pathogenic to the white grub Hoplochelus marginalis and only the B. bassiana strains were pathogenic to Alphitobius diaperinus. The B. hoplocheli strain was less virulent on Lepidoptera and Diptera than the two B. bassiana strains. The latter both exhibited very similar virulence patterns. The fact that B. hoplocheli and B. bassiana strains have different host ranges means that they can be used as BCA to target different pests. Impacts on non-target insects across multiple orders cannot be ruled out in the absence of ecological host range studies.
- Published
- 2018