Biological Pest Control

Os enterolitos sao concrecoes formadas no intestino grosso de equinos, constituido por sais fosfato de amonia e magnesio, depositados ao redor de um nucleo, que pode ser um corpo estranho (madeira, metal, pedra, plastico ou borracha). Fatores como o consumo excessivo de alfafa, pH intestinal, raca e hereditariedade, estao relacionados com a sua formacao. Nao existe diferenca de predisposicao entre machos e femeas. Equinos adultos e idosos sao os mais acometidos. Os sinais clinicos variam de acordo com a forma e localizacao do enterolito.

Twenty isolates of fluorescent pseudomonads and Bacillus spp. were obtained from pathogen suppressive soil of a pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) field showing wilt disease complex. These isolates were evaluated in the laboratory and screen-house for the biocontrol of wilt disease complex. Six isolates were considered to have potential for the biocontrol of the disease on the basis of antibiotic sensitivity, antifungal activity, fluorescence produced by Pseudomonas, inhibitory effect on the hatching and penetration of nematodes and colonization of pigeonpea roots by these isolates. These isolates will be further tested for their biocontrol of wilt disease complex of pigeonpea under field conditions.

With the worldwide development of anthelmintic resistance, new alternative approaches for controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep are urgently required. In this work, we identified and characterized native nematode-trapping fungi. We collected seven isolates of fungi with the capacity to form adhesive, three-dimensional networks as the main mechanism to capture, kill, and consume nematodes. The nematode-trapping fungi were classified into two groups; the first group includes the R2-13 strain, showing faster growth, abundant aerial hyphae, scarce conidia production, bigger conidia, and it formed a clade with Arthrobotrys oligospora sensu stricto. The second comprises the A6, A12, A13, R2-1, R2-6, and R2-14 strains, showing a growth adhering to the culture medium, forming little aerial hyphae, smaller conidia, and these formed a sister clade to A. oligospora. Except for the R2-6 strain, conidia production was induced by light. In all the strains, the predatory capacity against...

Antecedentes: Los estudios sobre la micobiota asociada a insectos plaga comúnmente se enfocan sólo a especies entomopatógenas para su uso en control biológico, sin considerar muchas otras que podrían estar involucrados en las enfermedades de las plantas de cultivo de interés.Objetivos: Analizar la micobiota asociada a cadáveres de insectos plaga de maíz en el estado de Querétaro para conocer el impacto que tienen en los sistemas agrícolas.Métodos: La identificación de las cepas aisladas de los insectos plaga se realizó mediante taxonomía clásica y un análisis filogenético de las secuencias de la región ITS1, 5.8S e ITS2 del ADNr.Resultados y conclusiones: Se aislaron 18 cepas de hongos asociados a cadáveres de insectos catalogados como plagas de importancia económica en el estado de Querétaro. Los aislados pertenecen a los géneros Fusarium, Beauveria, y Purpureocillium aisladas de Melanoplus sp., Toxoptera citricida y larvas de Spodoptera frugiperda como hospederos. La presencia de ...

Mycoparasitism, a lifestyle where one fungus is parasitic on another fungus, has special relevance when the prey is a plant pathogen, providing a strategy for biological control of pests for plant protection. Probably, the most studied biocontrol agents are species of the genus Hypocrea/Trichoderma.

The stalk, ear and root rot (SERR) of maize caused by Fusarium verticillioides (Fv) severely impacts crop production in tropical and subtropical regions. The aim of the present work was to screen bacterial isolates in order to find novel native biocontrol agents against Fv. A culturable bacterial collection consisting of 11,520 isolates enriched in Firmicutes and Proteobacteria was created from rhizosphere samples taken from SERR symptomatic or asymptomatic maize plants. The complete collection was screened for potential activity against Fv using a liquid antagonism assay followed by dual cultures in solid medium, selecting for 42 bacteria (Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Paenibacillus) that inhibit Fv growth (>45 %). In planta assays demonstrated that three Bacillus isolates: B. megaterium (B5), B. cereus sensu lato (B25) and Bacillus sp. (B35) displayed the highest antagonistic activity against Fv. Pot experiments performed in a greenhouse with Bacillus cereus sensu lato B25 confirmed these findings and showed a reduction of Fv disease severity and incidence on plants. Antagonistic activity analysis revealed that these strains produce glucanases, proteases or chitinases, as well as siderophores and auxins and suggests these as possible control mechanisms against Fv.

Ticks and tick-borne diseases are of great significance for the health of humans and animals. However, the factors influencing their distribution and dynamics are inadequately known. In a project financed by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy Industry, as part of the program BWPLUS, interdisciplinary specialists work together to determine the influence of weather, (micro)climate, habitat, land use, human activities, and the population dynamics of host animals on the distribution and abundance of ticks and the diseases that they transmit in Baden-Württemberg. The project comprises four modules: the large-scale distribution of ticks in Baden-Württemberg (module 1), detailed studies of host-tick-pathogen interaction in relation to the microclimate (module 2), and the spatial occurrence of important tick-borne pathogens (module 3). The fourth module involves the comprehensive analysis and synthesis of all data in order to determine the relative importa...

Armyworm (Spodoptera litura F.) is an important leaf pest of cabbage, shallots, mustard greens, and cabbage ). It's attack causes a decrease in production to reach 100%, if no control is carried out . One of the insect pathogenic fungi that potential as a biological control agent is Beauveria bassiana Bals. . This study aims to determine the symptoms of infection with morphological changes in armyworm larvae caused by B. bassiana, carried out at the Agrotechnology Laboratory of the Muhammadiyah University of Parepare. The method used is descriptive analytic, which describes the results of research based on observations from the documentation made on a camera microscope. The results showed that the first and second day observations did not show any signs of infection, but on the third to seventh day there were signs of infection in the form of morphological changes such as changes in the body color of the larvae from green to yellowish, then brown to black. The structure and body shape of the larvae experienced shrinkage, softened then hardened and finally mummified, the larval body was also seen to be overgrown with white hyphae.

In this study, the antifungal, biosurfactant and bioemulsifying activity of the lipopeptides produced by the marine bacterium Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii MC6B-22 is presented. The kinetics showed that at 84 h, the highest yield of lipopeptides (556 mg/mL) with antifungal, biosurfactant, bioemulsifying and hemolytic activity was detected, finding a relationship with the sporulation of the bacteria. Based on the hemolytic activity, bio-guided purification methods were used to obtain the lipopeptide. By TLC, HPLC and MALDI-TOF, the mycosubtilin was identified as the main lipopeptide, and it was further confirmed by NRPS gene clusters prediction based on the strain’s genome sequence, in addition to other genes related to antimicrobial activity. The lipopeptide showed a broad-spectrum activity against ten phytopathogens of tropical crops at a minimum inhibitory concentration of 400 to 25 μg/mL and with a fungicidal mode of action. In addition, it exhibited that biosurfactant and ...

Artificial lighting, including light-emitting diode (LED) illumination, is increasingly being optimized in protected agricultural systems to maximize plant yield and quality. However, it may also cause other topdown and bottom-up effects in these relatively simple ecological communities that also include insect pests and their natural enemies. While some effects of LED lighting on insects have been demonstrated to date, it is not known how they influence biological control of insect pests in practice. To examine potential top-down and bottom-up impacts of LED illumination on greenhouse biological control with parasitoids, we studied the effects of artificially lengthened days on a tri-trophic system in cages and in a greenhouse. We grew plants under a 12-hour photoperiod of white-supplemented light with 6 hours of additional 1) white light or 2) red and blue light, or 3) with no additional light. We exposed the plants to the pest aphid Myzus persicae (Hemiptera : Aphididae) with or without its parasitoid wasp Aphidius matricariae (Hymenoptera : Braconidae), or to no insects. The 18-hour light treatments increased mean plant dry mass by 127% compared with the 12-hour control without affecting the aphid's population density or the parasitoid's biological control efficacy under relatively low light conditions. This suggests that insect communities in protected agriculture can be resilient to even drastic changes in their light environment, and that adjusting crop lighting in a manner that affects plant growth does not necessarily compromise biological control's effectiveness.

Supplemental lighting, such as with LED lamps, allows greenhouse producers to maintain yields when natural light levels are low. Since both insect pests and their natural enemies are sensitive to light, both the duration and spectrum of LED daylength extensions could affect biological pest control in greenhouses. Longer days could allow for extended periods of reproduction for pests or foraging activity of biological control agents, possibly depending on the spectra used for these extensions. However, the effects of lengthening days with different LED spectra on the behaviour of biological control agents has mostly been studied in short-term experiments to date, and has not always included the context of the light’s effect on their hosts’ reproduction. In growth chambers, we examined the locomotor activity of the parasitoid biocontrol agentAphidius matricariae(Hymenoptera : Braconidae) as a predictor for foraging activity and the fecundity of its aphid hostMyzus persicae(Hemiptera :...

A major problem in insect pest and weed management is uncertainty. Managers are faced with three main types of uncertainty: uncertainty about biological and environmental processes, and observational uncertainty. Active adaptive management (AAM) is management with a deliberate plan for learning about the managed system, so that management can be improved in the face of uncertainty. We discuss the potential benefits of applying AAM to insect pest and weed control with reference to a number of examples. We first address the possible uses for AAM in biological control, with particular reference to agent selection and release. We also propose applying AAM methods to resistance management and to spatial strategies for pest control. We conclude with an overview of AAM, a discussion of some of the potential limitations to its use in pest management, and the possibilities for increased implementation of AAM in the future.

Biocontrol for insect pest management (BIPM) was the maiden like method of pest control pre-dates the modern pesticide era. Controlled exotic pests by natural enemy species collected from the country or area of origin of the pest was one of the successful method in for BIPM. The potential of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and an egg parasitoid for biological control of eggs of tomato fruit worm Helicoverpa (= Heliothis) zea (Boddie), and the effect on fruit production after two years of field evaluation (2011-2012) revealed encouraging results. Trichogramma evanescens (Westwood), Steinernema carpocapsae (all strain) (Weiser) and Heterorhabiditis bacteriophora (HP88) (Poinar) were applied to control H. zea on tomato field. Two augmentation releases of each biological control agent at 15-day intervals, 15 days after tomato plants reach 30-50% effloresce were found effective. The percentage of fruits damaged by H. zea was significantly reduced in plots treated by egg wasp T. evanesc...

Efficacy of the two entomopathogenic nematode species, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (HP88 strain) and Steirnema glaseri Steiner (NJ strain), was tested on the fifth and third instar larvae of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) and Temnorhynchus baal (Reiche) under laboratory conditions. Experiments were conducted on filter paper and sandy soil substrates using nematode at 50, 100, 200 and 400 infective juveniles/5ml of water. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora was most effective on the fifth instar larvae of S. littoralis whereas S. glaseri was effective against third instar larvae of T. ball third. Insect mortality was high (60-90%) and low (<45%) at higher and lower nematode concentrations respectively. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora treated larvae of S. littoralis succumbed to the infection at the higher rates (80-100%) as compared to those treated with S. glaseri. The rate of mortality of S. littoralis was lowest when treated with S. glaseri (2-20%). The differences in the rate...

Efficacy of the two entomopathogenic nematode species, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (HP88 strain) and Steirnema glaseri Steiner (NJ strain), was tested on the fifth and third instar l arvae of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) and Temnorhynchus baal (Reiche) under laboratory conditions. Experiments were conducted on filter paper and sandy soil substrates using nematode at 50, 100, 200 and 400 infective juveniles/5ml of water. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora was most effective on the fifth instar larvae of S. littoralis whereas S. glaseri was effective against third instar larvae of T. ball third. Insect mortality was high (60 -90%) and low (<45%) at higher and lower nematode concentrations respectively. Heterorhabditis bacteriophoratreated larvae of S. littoralis succumbed to the infection at the higher rates (80 -100%) as compared to those treated with S. glaseri. The rate of mortality of S. littoralis was lowest when treated with S. glaseri (2-20%). The differences in the ra...

The fruit stalk borer (Oryctes elegans) is an important pest of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) trees in Saudi Arabia. This study was conducted to determine efficacy of using two species of entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema kushidai and Steinernema glaseri, against O. elegans under laboratory and field conditions. Under laboratory conditions, both species of nematodes showed a significant effect on the mortality of O. elegans larvae. Significant variations were observed when insects were exposed to nematodes for variable durations under laboratory conditions. They showed no differences in insect larval mortality when tested either in aqueous suspensions or in Galleria-infected cadavers. Insects exposed to nematode aqueous suspension for 4 d and those treated with Galleria-infected cadavers showed the same rates of mortality, which differed when insects were exposed to nematode-infected cadavers under field conditions. Mean percentages of corrected mortality varied between nematode species and number of infected cadavers. S. kushidai caused significantly higher mortality percentages ± SE (72.17 ± 5.57, 95.83 ± 4.17, 94.43 ± 5.57, and 100%) compared with S. glaseri when the fruit stalk borer, O. elegans, was treated for 6 wk with two, four, six, and eight infected cadavers, respectively.

We consider a Gause type predator-prey system with functional response given by θ(x) = arctan(ax), where a > 0, and give a counterexample to the criterion given in Attili and Mallak [Commun. Math. Anal. 1:33-40(2006)] for the nonexistence of limit cycles. When this criterion is satisfied, instead this system can have a locally asymptotically stable coexistence equilibrium surrounded by at least two limit cycles.

studied both spatial and non-spatial host-parasitoid models motivated by biological control of horse-chestnut leaf miners that have spread through Europe. In the non-spatial model, they considered pest control by predation of leaf miners by a generalist parasitoid with a Holling type II functional (Monod) response. They showed that there can be at most six equilibrium points and discussed local stability. We revisit their model in the non-spatial case, identify cases missed in their investigation and discuss consequences for possible pest control strategies. Both the local stability of equilibria and global properties are considered. We use a bifurcation theoretical approach and provide analytical expressions for fold and Hopf bifurcations and for the criticality of the Hopf bifurcations. Our numerical results show very interesting dynamics resulting from codimension one bifurcations including: Hopf, fold, transcritical, cyclic-fold, and homoclinic bifurcations as well as codimension two bifurcations including: Bautin and Bogdanov-Takens bifurcations, and a codimension three Bogdanov-Takens bifurcation.

This study was undertaken to determine the potential utility of entomopathogenic nematodes for management of diamondback moth (DBM) larvae in Kenya. Five Kenyan EPN isolates, Heterorhabditis indica, Steinernema karii, Steinernema weiseri, Steinernema sp. and Heterorhabditis taysearae were tested for their ability to penetrate DBM and their speed of kill (LT50). Heterorhabditis indica and S. weiseri were found to have the quickest rate of kill and S. weiseri was found to have the largest proportion of nematodes penetrating. Three of the isolates, Steinernema sp. (95), S. weiseri and H. indica, were used in a field experiment to test their ability to reduce DBM populations and damage to kale. All three nematodes caused significant reductions in populations of DBM and DBM damage, with the population reductions being similar to those caused by application of Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki. This study shows that EPNs have great potential that should be exploited in the management of DBM in Kenya.

Biocontrol is a potential strategy adapted to control the fungal plant pathogens thus bio-prospecting to find novel native siderophore and enzyme producing Pseudomonas isolate for the management of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) damping off disease under the prevailing conditions of Punjab state. In the present study, a total of 15 isolates of Pseudomonas fluorescens isolated from rhizospheric soils of tomato growing areas of Punjab and evaluated by dual culture plate confrontation assay, of which, two isolates (Pf10 and Pf6) showed maximum antagonistic activity against damping off pathogen (Rhizoctonia solani) with a zone of inhibition 14.30 mm and 11.53 mm respectively. These Pseudomonas isolates (Pf10 and Pf6) were also analyzed for their siderophore production and enzymatic activity. They were found to effectively produce siderophore and cell wall degrading enzymes such as chitinase and β-1,3 glucanase with higher antagonistic activity against Rhizoctonia solani. The present study was carried out at the Plant Pathology Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab during 2017 and 2018 to confirm the bio-efficacy of these Pseudomonas isolates. Amongst the isolates, talc-based bioformulation of Pf10 isolate when applied as the seed+soil treatment had exerted strong inhibition against Rhizoctonia solani in tomato. Therefore, based on the findings, it was concluded that Pseudomonas fluorescens played a significant role as a potential biocontrol agent against damping off disease in tomato.

Con el objetivo de conocer el comportamiento de algunos aspectos biológicos del biorregulador Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (Mulsan) asociados a la reproducción artificial, se desarrollaron experimentos en el Laboratorio Provincial de Sanidad Vegetal de Ciego de Ávila en los que se evaluó, número de huevos ovopositados por hembra adulta en una hora y la capacidad depredadora ante diferentes especies de insectos y ácaros, además se comparó el número de larvas, pupas y adultos del biorregulador obtenidos a partir de Toumeyella spp. y Saissetia oleae como hospedantes. Se determinó que el entomófago es capaz de ovopositar un elevado número de huevos independientemente a el número de machos que intervengan en la actividad reproductiva, que son capaces de depredar un alto número de insectos en hora, dentro de los que distingue el elevado consumo de S. oleae, el cual además resulta un hospedante ventajoso para la multiplicación de este biorregulador.

From the aerial parts of Gutierrezia microcephala (Asteraceae), four oxyflavones were isolated, namely 5,7,2′-trihydroxy-3,6,8,4′,5′-pentamethoxyflavone (1); 5,7,4′-trihydroxy-3,6,8-trimethoxyflavone (2); 5,7,2′,4′-tetrahydroxy-3,6,8,5′-tetramethoxyflavone (3); 5,2′-dihydroxy- 3,6,7,8,4′,5′-hexamethoxyflavone (4), and an ent-clerodane, bacchabolivic acid (5). Compounds 1-5, the synthetic methyl ester (6 ), n-hexane and MeOH extracts were evaluated against the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda). Gedunin, a known insect growth regulator isolated from Cedrela spp. was used as a positive control. When tested for activity on neonate larvae into the no-choice artificial diet bioassay, flavone (1), clerodane (5), its methyl ester (6), MeOH and n-hexane extracts caused significant larval mortality with MC50 of 3.9, 10.7, 3.46. 7.95 and 7.5 ppm at 7 days, respectively, as well as growth reduction. They also increased the development time of surviving larvae and a significant delay in time...

Pseudomonas fluorescens isolates with confirmed antagonistic activity against Aspergillus flavus, were tested to determine their capacity to inhibit fungal infection on maize ear grains at the milk stage. The best method to obtain a 100% infection was through the induction of a wound in the grain, before inoculating the fungus. There was a reduction of infection produced by A. flavus

Biological control of plant diseases through the addition of microbial biocontrol agents and the promotion of earthworms can be an environmentally friendly alternative to the chemical control of plant diseases. However, possible risks with biocontrol agents and their interactions with earthworms and other soil biota have not been well studied. The aim of this study was to assess whether the beneficial bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and the earthworms Aporrectodea caliginosa or Aporrectodea longa could reduce disease in oilseed rape (Brassica napus) challenged with the pathogen Alternaria brassicae. Plant growth and productivity were measured as plant survival, height, biomass, and flower development as well as disease index. A second objective was to assess whether the presence of the bacterium at high concentrations would influence the survival, growth, and reproduction of the earthworms. One outdoor and one greenhouse experiment were performed with Br. napus plants challenged with Al. brassicae inoculated to the plant leaves in the presence or absence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens inoculated to the root environment and in the presence or absence of earthworms (Ap. caliginosa or Ap. longa) added to the soil. All treatments were replicated three times. In the outdoor experiment, inoculation with Al. brassicae reduced the growth of plants and the addition of Ap. caliginosa increased plant height. In the greenhouse experiment, pairwise comparisons of plants challenged with Al. brassicae showed that treatment with B. amyloliquefaciens led to significantly lower disease index than the treatment with Ap. caliginosa plus B. amyloliquefaciens, while other treatments had intermediate disease indices. The addition of Al. brassicae or B. amyloliquefaciens increased the survival and mass increment of Ap. caliginosa as a main effect when used separately but not when used in combination. This study did not give any clear indication of the usefulness of B. amyloliquefaciens for biocontrol of plant pathogens such as Al. brassicae when growing plants in natural soil. In addition, no significantly positive effects from the tested earthworm species were seen.

The document discusses plant soil nematodes, their characteristics, life cycle, interactions, and control methods in agriculture. Pride of Nematodes • Nematodes have existed for millions of years, significantly impacting agriculture and ecosystems.

The free-living soil fungus Trichoderma hamatum strain GD12 is notable amongst Trichoderma strains in both controlling plant diseases and in stimulating plant growth, a property enhanced during its antagonistic interactions with pathogens in soil. These attributes, alongside its markedly expanded genome and proteome compared to other biocontrol and plant growth promoting Trichoderma strains, imply a rich potential for sustainable alternatives to synthetic pesticides and fertilisers for controlling plant disease and increasing yields. The purpose of this study was to investigate the transcriptional responses of GD12 underpinning its biocontrol and plant growth promotion capabilities during antagonistic interactions with the pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in soil. Using an extensive mRNA-seq study capturing different time points during the pathogen-antagonist interaction in soil, we show that dynamic and biphasic signatures in the GD12 transcriptome underpin its biocontrol and plan...

BackgroundIndia is the world's leading producer of coconuts. Many biotic and abiotic constrains limit global palm yield and among the biotic factors, the coconut rhinoceros beetle,Oryctes rhinoceros(L.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is the major problem in India. The adult beetle attacks the unopened leaves and inflorescences, resulting in a yield loss of more than 10%.O. rhinocerosgrubs and adults have different feeding habits as the adults feed on plant tissues, whereas the grubs primarily feed on rotting organic matter. Non-feeding stage, i.e. the larval stage, which is cryptic in nature and spends nearly 90–160 days in the breeding site, is amenable to any control measures so as to reduce the population of actual damaging adult stage. However, indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides has created a lot of environmental and regulatory issues, thus warranting an ecologically safe and environmental friendly alternative option. Hence, indigenous entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) st...

Food security is contingent upon increasing crop yields but also upon reducing crop losses to post-harvest pests and diseases. Weevils are particularly important agents of post-harvest losses in grain crops. A long-term evaluation of a biocontrol agent, Beauveria bassiana Strain MS-8, at a single dose of 2 × 109 conidia kg−1 of grain was formulated in kaolin as a carrier at levels of 1, 2, 3, and 4 g kg−1 of grain and screened against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais. After six months, the application of B. bassiana Strain MS-8 at all levels of kaolin significantly reduced the maize weevil populations compared to the untreated control (UTC). The best control of maize weevil was observed in the first 4 months after application. Strain MS-8 applied in a kaolin level of 1 g kg−1 performed the best, resulting in the lowest number of live weevils (36 insects/500 g of maize grain), the lowest level of grain damage (14.0%), and the least weight loss (7.0%). In the UTC the number of liv...

Date palm fruit is consumed as a highly nutritious food item particularly in the Middle East. This work was designed to investigate the occurrence of filamentous moulds, their toxins in date palm fruit samples, and explore the biocontrol potential of Bacillus cereus 342-2 against few date palms associated fungal species. In total, 36 date palm fruit samples from different sources and varieties were collected from the markets in Qatar. Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. were found to contaminate most of the samples, except Akhlas samples, which were free of any fungal contamination. In total, ochratoxin A (OTA) was found in 6 (16.67%) date samples, all within the permissible limit, except one (2.7%), where the level was above the maximum permissible concentrations of 2 µg/kg. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of B. cereus were very effective against the growth of A. niger and A. carbonarius with an inhibition rate of 100%. Whereas their effects against A. flavus was weak as mycelia grew; however, no sporulation occurred until day 7 of co-incubation. Gas chromatography mass spectrophotometry analysis of B. cereus volatiles showed aldehyde as a major component with a peak area of 10.6%, and Undecane with a peak area of 2.02%. The inhibitory effect of VOCs was either from aldehyde alone, or a synergetic effect of the two molecules.

To overcome the economic losses associated with fungi and their toxic metabolites, environmentally safe and efficient approaches are needed. To this end, biological control using yeasts and safe bacterial strains and their products are being explored to replace synthetic fungicides. In the present study, the biocontrol effect of a yeast strain of Kluyveromyces marxianus, QKM-4, against the growth and mycotoxin synthesis potential of key toxigenic fungi was evaluated. In vitro assays were performed to find the application of yeast volatile organic compounds (VOCs) against fungal contamination on important agricultural commodities. The removal of ochratoxin A (OTA) and deoxynivalenol (DON) by living and heat-inactivated yeast cells was also explored. VOCs produced by strain QKM-4 were able to significantly limit the fungal growth of 17 fungal species belonging to genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium. Yeast VOCs were able to reduce OTA biosynthesis potential of Penicillium verrucosum and Aspergillus carbonarius by 99.6 and 98.7%, respectively. In vivo application of QKM-4 VOCs against Fusarium oxysporum and A. carbonarius infection on tomatoes and grapes, respectively, determined a complete inhibition of fungal spore germination. GC/MS-based analysis of yeast VOCs identified longchain alkanes, including nonadecane, eicosane, docosane, heptacosane, hexatriacontane, and tetracosane. In vitro testing of the mycotoxin-binding potential of the living and heat-inactivated QKM-4 cells showed a reduction of OTA and DON up to 58 and 49%, respectively, from artificially contaminated buffers. Our findings clearly demonstrate the strong antifungal potential of K. marxianus QKM-4 and propose this strain as a strong candidate for application in agriculture to safeguard food and feed products.

This study aims to identify parasitoids species and determine the percentage of parasitism of  white rice stem borer ( S. innotata ) on paddy rice cultivation at different altitudes (Below 200 m asl and higher than 500 masl). This research was conducted in December 2015 - March 2016, in the village of Vatunonju, Sigi Biromaru Subdistrict and Sejahtera Village, Palolo Subdistrict, Sigi District. Identification of parasitoids was conducted in the Plant Pest and Disease Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tadulako, Palu. The study sites was selected by purposive sampling method. Ten eggs group of white rice stem borer at each location were collected from paddy field  at different altitude to identify their parasitoids and parasitism level. The study found three parasitoids species of white rice stem borer namely  Tetrastichus sp., Telenomus  sp., and Trichogramma  sp.. Telenomus  sp. was the dominant species at the low land (200 m asl) paddy fields while Tetrastichus  sp....

Major gaps exist regarding the biodiversity and population ecology of insect pests in maize crops in Pakistan. The objective of this study was to examine the species composition, relative abundance, and population dynamics of arthropod insect pests of maize crops in Punjab, Pakistan. A two-year (2018-2019) survey of insect pests' species biodiversity in field maize crops was carried out in two districts (Kasur and Lahore). A total of 49 pest species belonging to 45 genera, 27 families, and 6 orders were recorded in this study. Noctuidae dominated over the other pest families, constituting 49.17% of the total pests catch. Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) was found to be the most dominant species, constituting 18.51% of the sampled individuals. Moreover, the estimated pest species richness from both districts was 94%. While the diversity indices (Shannon-Weiner and Simpson) revealed non-significant differences in arthropod pest communities of all six selected sites. Using the Menhinick and Margalef indices suggested higher species richness in the Lahore district. Overall, population densities of all the pests consistently fluctuated throughout both cropping seasons, peaking in April-May and reaching the lowest levels in June-July. Spearman's rank correlation analysis indicated a negative association between insect abundance and temperature while, non-significant correlation was found with humidity in both districts. These findings will help to develop sustainable pest control strategies, with implications both at local and global scale in maize growing areas.

A safe and ecofriendly biocontrol of pathogenic Fusarium equiseti was developed based on chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) combined with Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Penicillium polonicum. Two strains of F. equiseti which were isolated from wilting tomato plant as well as three antagonistic fungi including Trichoderma longibrachiatum and two strains of Penicillium polonicum were isolated from the surrounding soil. All the isolated pathogenic and antagonistic fungi were identified using genomic DNA sequences. The antifungal activity of the three antagonistic fungi were studied against the two strains of F. equiseti. Also, CNPs which were prepared according to the ionic gelation method using sodium tripolyphosphate anions in acetic acid solution were used to enhance the antifungal activity of the three antagonistic fungi. The results exhibit that, combination of T. longibrachiatum with CNPs and P. polonicum with CNPs achieve high antifungal activity against F. equiseti by an inhibition...

Antecedentes: Los estudios sobre la micobiota asociada a insectos plaga comúnmente se enfocan sólo a especies entomopatógenas para su uso en control biológico, sin considerar muchas otras que podrían estar involucrados en las enfermedades de las plantas de cultivo de interés.Objetivos: Analizar la micobiota asociada a cadáveres de insectos plaga de maíz en el estado de Querétaro para conocer el impacto que tienen en los sistemas agrícolas.Métodos: La identificación de las cepas aisladas de los insectos plaga se realizó mediante taxonomía clásica y un análisis filogenético de las secuencias de la región ITS1, 5.8S e ITS2 del ADNr.Resultados y conclusiones: Se aislaron 18 cepas de hongos asociados a cadáveres de insectos catalogados como plagas de importancia económica en el estado de Querétaro. Los aislados pertenecen a los géneros Fusarium, Beauveria, y Purpureocillium aisladas de Melanoplus sp., Toxoptera citricida y larvas de Spodoptera frugiperda como hospederos. La presencia de ...

Mycoparasitism, a lifestyle where one fungus is parasitic on another fungus, has special relevance when the prey is a plant pathogen, providing a strategy for biological control of pests for plant protection. Probably, the most studied biocontrol agents are species of the genus Hypocrea/Trichoderma.

With the worldwide development of anthelmintic resistance, new alternative approaches for controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep are urgently required. In this work, we identified and characterized native nematode-trapping fungi. We collected seven isolates of fungi with the capacity to form adhesive, three-dimensional networks as the main mechanism to capture, kill, and consume nematodes. The nematode-trapping fungi were classified into two groups; the first group includes the R2-13 strain, showing faster growth, abundant aerial hyphae, scarce conidia production, bigger conidia, and it formed a clade with Arthrobotrys oligospora sensu stricto. The second comprises the A6, A12, A13, R2-1, R2-6, and R2-14 strains, showing a growth adhering to the culture medium, forming little aerial hyphae, smaller conidia, and these formed a sister clade to A. oligospora. Except for the R2-6 strain, conidia production was induced by light. In all the strains, the predatory capacity against...

Background: This work has the objective to biocontrol the bayoud disease of date palm caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (Foa), is the major disease in Algerian palm groves of south western region. This in vivo biocontrol was done on date palm variety Deglet-Nour, using two antagonistic fungi species, Trichoderma harzianum and Aspergillus flavus.Methods: Twenty Foa isolates obtained from isolation of the spines carrying the typical symptoms of Bayoud disease were used. Two strains T. harzianum and A. flavus, were isolated from rhizosphere soils of the date palm trees. Using the greenhouse screening test, which was carried out on 3-4 month-old date palm seedlings at the rate of 5 ml of inoculum suspension.Result: A statistical analysis showed a significant (P less than 0.05), difference of Deglet-Nour seedlings reactions against Foa isolates and antagonistic fungi were observed. All date palm trees present susceptibility against Foa until the total mortality of ...

The tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta (Meyrick)) is a devastating pest responsible for serious damages to solanaceous crops worldwide. The larvae preferentially consume the leaf tissue of the mesophyll, but also the interior of stems and fruits. The tomato leaf miner has a high reproductive potential and causes a high reduction of crops productivity under open-field and protected conditions. This study was conducted in a greenhouse for tomato fresh production. T. absoluta flight activity was recorded using two different traps devices during the spring 2023 growing season in the western region of Portugal. Two traditional Delta® and one smart Trapview® trap, baited with pheromones, were installed in the greenhouse and the captures in the three traps compared. During the period of study, an accumulation of 943.4-degree days was calculated, corresponding to 2.26 potential generations. Positive and significant correlations were observed in adult captures between the two conventional Delta® traps and between the smart Trapview® trap and the Delta® trap placed 1 m apart. Early detection of pests and an accurate monitoring of population dynamics are essential for taking appropriate control measures. Results showed that the Trapview® traps are reliable devices for monitoring remotely the T. absoluta populations in tomato greenhouses, automatically registering the daily captures avoiding the travelling to the trap site. The use of smart traps in T. absoluta pest monitoring allows access to data in a simple real-time way, and a more effective and accurate crop protection.

Insect pests are a major threat to global food security, causing significant crop losses and economic damage. Over-reliance on chemical pesticides has led to environmental degradation, pest resistance, and harm to non-target organisms. Natural enemies-predators, parasitoids, and pathogens-play a vital role in regulating pest populations and maintaining ecological balance in agroecosystems. This review paper examines the ecological roles of natural enemies, their contributions to integrated pest management (IPM), and the strategies for conserving and enhancing their populations. By understanding and leveraging the role of natural enemies, sustainable agricultural practices can be promoted, reducing the need for chemical inputs and fostering resilient agroecosystems.

In the pursuit of sustainable agricultural practices, the use of biological control agents has emerged as a viable alternative to synthetic chemicals for managing plant pests and diseases. Among these, endophytic fungi and insect predators represent two ecologically compatible and effective components of integrated pest management (IPM). Endophytic fungi live within plant tissues without causing disease and offer benefits such as growth promotion, disease suppression and enhanced resistance to biotic stress. Insect predators, on the other hand, play a crucial role in directly controlling pest populations. This article explores the synergistic potential of combining endophytic fungi and insect predators to achieve holistic pest and disease management. It discusses the mechanisms of action, compatibility, field applications, benefits, challenges and future directions, offering a comprehensive overview of how this dual biocontrol strategy can revolutionize pest management in modern agriculture.

Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is considered the most devastating pest of the olive tree worldwide. In an effort to develop management and biological control strategies against this pest, new molecular tools are urgently needed. In this study, we present the design of B. oleae-specific primers based on mitochondrial DNA sequences of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Two pairs of B. oleae-specific primers were successfully designed and named as SBo1-F/SBo1-R and SBo2-F/SBo1-R, being able to amplify 108 and 214 bp COI fragments, respectively. The specificity of designed primers was tested by amplifying DNA from phylogenetically related (i.e. Diptera order) and other non-pest insects living in olive groves from the Mediterranean region. When using these primers on a PCR-based diagnostic assay, B. oleae DNA was detected in the gut content of a soil-living insect, Pterostichus globosus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Carabidae). The detection of B. oleae DNA in the guts ...

Leave a Comment / Pemupukan / By Dian Islamiah Sobat Hextar tertarik untuk membudidayakan tanaman nanas? Tanaman nanas termasuk tanaman yang mudah tumbuh dan tidak memerlukan perawatan yang extra. Bercita rasa manis asam, tanaman ini banyak digemari oleh masyarakat. Tanaman ini diperkaya kandungan vitamin dan gizi, diantaranya vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin C, kalsium, asam folat, dll.

This paper aims to find an optimal combination of gibberellic acid concentration (C) and soaking duration time (T) in order to speed up and to improve the productivity of konjac (Amorphophallus muelleri Blume) germination process. For this purpose, a laboratory experiment was carried out with five levels of C and four levels of T. For each combination of C and T, 300 seeds were planted in three germination trays. And by using completely randomized design, in each tray, 100 seeds were planted. On the day right after a number of days after planting (D) which consists of seven levels, the germination rate is then recorded. By using data analytics method, we conclude that the optimal combination of C, D and T is C = 200 ppm, D = 7 days and T = 6 jam. Meanwhile, for a given T and D, concentration has no effect on germination rate. It is worth noting that (i) the experiment was conducted at room temperature under controlled humidity level, and (ii) according to the knowledge of the authors, this is an unprecedented study where Gibberellic acid is applied on konjac.

Anthracnose is an important post-harvest disease on guava and higher levels of fruit infection have been associated to the presence of the guava thrips Liothrips anonae Moulton, 1933 (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) in Brazil. Here, we report the results of field surveys for parasitoid species associated with L. anonae developed in Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Thripastichus gentilei (Del Guercio 1931) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was the only parasitoid species emerged from thrips larvae collected in the field. This parasitoid could be an alternative to the chemical control of L. anonae in guava plantations.