Journal of invertebrate pathology最新文献

{"title":"Bioactivity and physical investigation of a novel fluid bed-dried Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki formulation","authors":"Rayan Nasreddine ,&nbsp;Gül Ayyildiz ,&nbsp;Tayssir El Hammar ,&nbsp;Zhanerke Amangeldi ,&nbsp;Rim El Jeni ,&nbsp;Asime Filiz Caliskan Keçe ,&nbsp;Luc Fillaudeau ,&nbsp;Dietrich Stephan","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108547","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108547","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The intensive damage caused by citrus pests such as <em>Phyllocnistis citrella</em> and <em>Prays citri</em> requires the use of efficient, safe, and eco-friendly control measures. This study reports the development, characterization, and evaluation of a novel fluid bed-dried formulation based on <em>Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki</em> (Btk) strains, namely Lip and Blb1, produced via submerged fermentation on wheat bran. The concentrated pellets using Lip achieved mean values of 9.93 Log₁₀ CFU/g dry matter (gdm) spores and 117 mg/gdm proteins, with post-formulation of 9.51 Log₁₀ CFU/gdm and 15 mg/gdm, respectively. Number- and volume-based size distribution functions were analysed for dry formulations (Btk Lip, Btk Blb1, and Delfin®) and solubilized suspensions, demonstrating critical safety and application criteria associated with “fine” and “coarse” populations. For the Delfin® suspension, remaining “coarse” particles (&gt;100 µm: 21.7 %) were specifically reported. Laboratory bioassays against <em>P. citrella</em>, confirmed no significant differences across all formulations, whereas for <em>P. citri</em>, and <em>Spodoptera frugiperda</em> the lethal concentration of 50 % (LC₅₀) of Delfin® was significantly lower than Lip- and Blb1 formulations (p &lt; 0.001). In a field trial against <em>P. citrella</em>, Lip and Blb1 induced significantly faster mortality (LT₅₀ = 1.67 d and 1.61 d, respectively) than Delfin® (LT₅₀ = 2.89 d, p &lt; 0.001). This study addresses whether fluid bed–dried formulations of locally isolated Btk strains produced on wheat bran–based media can combine physicochemical robustness, effective dispersion, and high insecticidal efficacy against citrus pests, offering a sustainable alternative to commercial Btk products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108547"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146040954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"MrBZIP, a MrWETA-interacting transcription factor, mediates oxidative and heat stress tolerance in conidia of Metarhizium robertsii","authors":"Hao Wu ,&nbsp;Youmin Tong ,&nbsp;Cuiming Wang ,&nbsp;Yu Luan ,&nbsp;Bo Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wide application of biopesticides which utilize <em>Metarhizium robertsii</em> conidia as active ingredients is restrained by conidial stress tolerance. Recent research revealed that MrWETA is involved in conidiation, conidial maturation and virulence in <em>M. robertsii</em>. Here, to further study MrWETA functions, we used a yeast two-hybrid system to screen potential MrWETA-interacting proteins in <em>M. robertsii</em>. Through sequencing analysis, a Basic-leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor MrBZIP was identified as a potential MrWETA partner. We further discovered that <em>Mrbzip</em> exhibited high activation in conidia and played a vital role in conidial oxidative and heat stress tolerance by regulating stress-related genes. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that deletion of <em>Mrbzip</em> resulted in altered expression of 198 genes, which mostly were involved in cellular component and metabolic pathways in GO and KEGG analyses, respectively. Surprisingly, despite its impact on stress tolerance, loss of <em>Mrbzip</em> did not significantly affect conidiation, conidial germination, or virulence. Our results indicate that MrBZIP, as a potential MrWETA partner, shares functional parallels with MrWETA in governing conidial stress tolerance. This study advances our understanding of stress tolerance regulatory networks in entomopathogenic fungi, which is vital for improving their application under environmental stressors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108558"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A case of gonadal neoplasia in a common garden snail (Cornu aspersum) with intravascular metastasis","authors":"Lea A. Mascherrek ,&nbsp;Peter Richards-Rios","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108566","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108566","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While bivalves are known to be prone to neoplastic changes, the situation remains inconclusive for other molluscan species like gastropods. In this case report, we offer the first detailed histopathological description of a malignant transformation found in the common garden snail <em>Cornu aspersum</em> to contribute to the research on neoplasia in invertebrates. Based on our findings, we conclude that the observed tumour is most likely a gonadal neoplasm.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108566"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Patagonian king crabs (Lithodes santolla and Paralomis granulosa) and their diseases: Pathogen survey and taxonomic clarification of Areospora rohanae (Microsporidia)","authors":"Antonella Frizzera ,&nbsp;Nuria Vázquez ,&nbsp;Hernán Sacristán ,&nbsp;Federico Tapella ,&nbsp;Gustavo Lovrich ,&nbsp;Amjad Khalaf ,&nbsp;Jamie Bojko ,&nbsp;Florencia Cremonte","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108560","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108560","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lithodid crabs constitute a valuable natural resource with commercial interest; however, their health status in South America is scarcely studied. The presence of pathogens may have a negative impact on affected populations, endangering the fishery. This study surveys the symbionts present in populations of the king crab, <em>Lithodes santolla,</em> and the stone/false king crab, <em>Paralomis granulosa,</em> using histology, transmission electronic microscopy, and molecular analyses to characterise various symbionts. The histological and molecular data revealed a wide range of infections in <em>L. santolla</em>, including prokaryotic microorganisms, <em>Areospora rohanae</em> (Microsporidia), apicomplexan gregarines, ciliated protozoans, ectoparasitic crustaceans, and various epibiotic associations. In the case of <em>P. granulosa</em>, apicomplexan gregarines, ciliated protozoans, and various ectoparasites were observed. Molecular analyses confirmed the presence of the microsporidian <em>A. rohanae</em>, occurring at high prevalences (30%) in <em>L. santolla</em>, and some bacterial associations. We use metagenomic tools to extract a partial genome of this parasite to aid in its identification and taxonomic position, which leads us to erect the taxonomic orders Astathelohaniida and Areosporida and further clarify the previously assigned: “Glugeida+”.</div><div>The results of this study represent the first broad survey for symbionts in both king crab species and take us another step forward to a more accurate microsporidian taxonomy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108560"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146105698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ascosphaera apis-derived microRNA-like RNAs mediate cross-kingdom regulation of gene expression in western honeybee larvae","authors":"Xiaoxue Fan ,&nbsp;Nian Fan ,&nbsp;Tao Wu ,&nbsp;Jing Kang ,&nbsp;Jiarun Yang ,&nbsp;Jing Tian ,&nbsp;Xihan Luo ,&nbsp;Dafu Chen ,&nbsp;Jianfeng Qiu ,&nbsp;Rui Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108534","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108534","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chalkbrood fungus <em>Ascosphaera apis</em> (<em>A. apis</em>) produces miRNA-like small RNAs (milRNAs) that may modulate honey bee (<em>Apis mellifera</em>) larval biology through cross-kingdom RNA interference (ckRNAi). We identified 380<strong>,</strong> 106<strong>,</strong> 107, and 110 highly expressed milRNAs (HmilRNAs) in pure spores and infected larval guts at days 4, 5, and 6, respectively. Eighteen HmilRNAs were conserved across all groups, forming a complex regulatory network predicted to target 188 host genes (6,057 mRNAs) associated with critical signaling pathways, including Wnt, Hippo, mTOR, MAPK, and Toll/Imd. Among these, aap-milR-11980-x was validated to directly target the ecdysone-inducible gene <em>E</em>75 and the transcriptional repressor tramtrack (<em>TTK</em>). Dual-luciferase assays confirmed that aap-milR-11980-x represses these targets via specific binding to their 3′-UTR. In vivo modulation of aap-milR-11980-x in 6-day-old larval guts using agomirs and antagomirs successfully altered <em>E</em>75, <em>TTK</em>, and antimicrobial peptide (AMP) transcript levels. However, despite significant molecular regulation, no statistically significant difference in larval survival was observed between treatment groups (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). This discrepancy suggests that while aap-milR-11980-x effectively rewires host gene expression, its primary function may be to induce sub-lethal physiological changes, such as developmental delay or immune modulation, rather than acute lethality. These findings indicate that <em>A. apis</em> HmilRNAs fine-tune host cellular responses, potentially to extend the temporal window for fungal development or resource acquisition, highlighting a sophisticated layer of molecular manipulation in the <em>A. apis</em>-honey bee interaction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108534"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146046679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Doxycycline-mediated clearance of Wolbachia is associated with the long-term survival of Diaphorina citri cell lines","authors":"Ke Wu,&nbsp;Clebson S. Tavares,&nbsp;Bryony C. Bonning","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108532","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108532","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Diaphorina citri</em> transmits the causal agent of huanglongbing. We previously established three continuous <em>D. citri</em> cell lines, two of which (Dici1 and Dici5) harbor <em>Wolbachia</em> and <em>Diaphorina citri reovirus</em> (DcRV). Here we demonstrate that <em>Wolbachia</em> infection of these cell lines is associated with marked cytopathological effects, including culture collapse. Doxycycline treatment reduced <em>Wolbachia</em> titers and prevented further collapse, while DcRV levels remained unchanged, indicating that <em>Wolbachia</em> does not influence DcRV replication. Prolonged doxycycline treatment nearly eliminated <em>Wolbachia</em>, resulting in increased stability of the Dici1 and Dici5 cell lines. These cell lines with reduced <em>Wolbachia</em> loads represent improved systems for investigating host-microbe interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108532"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145986724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Uncovering how major extracellular proteins drive virulence and functional compensation in the mollusk pathogen Vibrio europaeus","authors":"Clara Martínez ,&nbsp;Sergio Rodriguez ,&nbsp;Alba Trueba ,&nbsp;Diego Rey-Varela ,&nbsp;Alicia E. Toranzo ,&nbsp;Ana L. Dieguez ,&nbsp;Javier Dubert","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108533","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108533","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bivalve aquaculture is a major component of global seafood production. However, its sustainability is severely threatened by recurrent outbreaks of vibriosis, caused by <em>Vibrio europaeus</em> that has emerged as a significant threat worldwide, affecting key aquaculture shellfish species. This study presents the first comprehensive characterization of the extracellular products (ECPs) and secretome of the mollusk pathogen <em>Vibrio europaeus</em>. A total of 108 different proteins were identified in the wild-type (WT) secretome, with the extracellular proteins VemA, VepA, and GbpA, accounting for nearly 70% of the total secreted protein content. A significant proportion of cytoplasmic proteins were also detected in the WT secretome, consistent with their secretion through outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) observed by electron microscopy. Functional assays confirmed that VemA is essential for virulence toward Manila clam juveniles (<em>Ruditapes philippinarum</em>), whereas VepA and GbpA appear to play complementary or modulatory roles. Surprisingly, simultaneous deletion of <em>vemA</em>, <em>vepA</em>, and <em>gbpA</em> genes induced extensive secretory reprogramming, with this mutant secreting 823 proteins, nearly eight times more than the WT, and exhibiting novel enzymatic activities. Approximately half of the secreted proteins in the triple mutant were cytoplasmic in origin, likely associated with a hypervesiculation phenotype observed by electron microscopy. Despite its expanded repertoire of virulence-associated proteins, the triple mutant displayed the lowest virulence in challenge assays, suggesting that the loss of the main ECPs triggers compensatory stress responses that remodel secretion but does not restore the virulence phenotype. Overall, these findings demonstrate that VemA, VepA, and GbpA are key determinants of virulence and secretory homeostasis in <em>V. europaeus</em>, revealing an adaptive mechanism linking OMV-mediated secretion, proteomic plasticity, and pathogenic potential in marine <em>Vibrio</em> species and provide better understanding how pathogens evolve to maintain or expand their virulence capacity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108533"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146044193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bacterial communities in pond water of kuruma shrimp Penaeus japonicus farms with different reported disease histories","authors":"Hajime Yuasa ,&nbsp;Denise Angelina Bermudez ,&nbsp;Kayo Konishi ,&nbsp;Miho Furukawa ,&nbsp;Reiko Nozaki ,&nbsp;Shotaro Morita ,&nbsp;Kenichi Ozaki ,&nbsp;Hidehiro Kondo ,&nbsp;Ikuo Hirono ,&nbsp;Keiichiro Koiwai","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108555","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108555","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Penaeid shrimp aquaculture is expanding worldwide, but recurrent infectious diseases remain a major threat to production. Interestingly, some farming environments sustain long-term stable production performance. To investigate the microbial basis of this condition, we performed 16S rRNA gene-based bacterial community analysis of rearing water from two farms with different reported disease histories. The stable production performance farm (Taketomijima) was characterized by a low-diversity bacterial community dominated by unclassified Rhodobacteraceae, whereas the variable production performance farm (Tanegashima) harbored a highly diverse and heterogeneous community. Despite the higher diversity, the variable production performance environment showed less stability across ponds, while the stable production performance farm exhibited a uniform and resilient microbiome structure. These results demonstrate that community composition and dominance of specific taxa, rather than overall diversity, are critical for disease prevalence. Our findings provide new insight into microbial factors of disease outcomes and lay the foundation for microbiome-informed management strategies to improve the sustainability and resilience of shrimp aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108555"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First Record and extended description of Dicyema platycephalum Penchaszadeh1969 (Dicyemida: Dicyemidae) in Octopus tehuelchus from northern Patagonia, SW Atlantic","authors":"Nuria Vázquez ,&nbsp;Gustavo Mariluan ,&nbsp;Pablo E. Penchaszadeh ,&nbsp;Silvina Van der Molen ,&nbsp;Nicolás Ortíz ,&nbsp;Eunji Park ,&nbsp;Brian Leander ,&nbsp;Florencia Cremonte","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108556","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108556","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dicyemids are highly specialized parasites found in the renal sacs of most cephalopod species. In this study, the description of <em>Dicyemaplatycephalum</em> is expanded from specimens infecting <em>Octopus tehuelchus</em> from the Patagonian coasts. The species is redescribed with histological sections, scanning electron microscopy, and molecular phylogenetic analysis of 18S rDNA sequences. This species had a distinctive disk shaped calotte with a configuration of ten cells (4 + 4 + 2), which is typical for the cephalic swelling of the genus. Histological sections revealed renal epithelial tissue with no signs of severe tissue damage, except in cases of heavy infection, where deformation of the epithelial folds and renal tubule obstruction were observed. Scanning electron micrographs showed the ciliated calotte inserted in renal crypts of host tissue. Many aspects of the dicyemid biology remain unknown, including how an infusoriform larva searches for and infects a new host. Attempts were made to infect uninfected juvenile octopuses experimentally reared, with potential infective larvae using three different exposure assays, but the attempts were unsuccessful. Nonetheless, this study broadens the description of <em>D</em>. <em>platycephalum</em> in the southern hemisphere using molecular phylogenetic data and contributes to the general understanding of the associations between dicyemid parasites and their cephalopod hosts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108556"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146086015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First record of epizootics in the grey citrus weevil (Sympiezomias citri; Coleoptera: Curculionidae) caused by Beauveria bassiana in tea plantations of Southeast China","authors":"Dingfeng Wang ,&nbsp;Liangde Li ,&nbsp;Huiling Li ,&nbsp;Jinyu Li ,&nbsp;Jun Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108548","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108548","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The grey citrus weevil (GCW) <em>Sympiezomias citri</em> is a significant pest that causes extensive damage to various cash crops, including <em>Citrus reticulata</em>, <em>Camellia sinensis</em>, and <em>Camellia oleifera</em>. Control primarily relies on synthetic chemicals. However, biological control using fungal entomopathogens is a crucial alternative. This study demonstrated the first natural epizootic occurrence in polyphagous GCW (<em>Sympiezomias citri</em>; Coleoptera: Curculionidae) induced by <em>Beauveria</em> sp. in tea plantations in Southeast China. Motivated by the hypotheses that genetic diversity correlates with biocontrol potential and that dominant genetic lineages drive epizootics, we characterized the pathogenic fungi. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of the nuclear intergenic Bloc region and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF) revealed that all fifty-one pathogenic agents obtained from field-mycosed GCW adults as <em>B. bassiana</em>, and they were grouped into four subclades. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) genotyping revealed significant genotypic diversity and a heterogeneous population structure with clear dominance of one group (Group II, 78.43%), supporting the hypothesis of lineage dominance during outbreaks. The genetic differentiation index (<em>G</em>_st) among the three populations was 0.2697, and gene flow (<em>N_m</em>) was 0.9427, indicating restricted genetic exchange within the metapopulation. To test the hypothesis that genetic diversity is linked to biocontrol potential, we evaluated eight representative isolates for virulence, colony growth, sporulation, and thermotolerance. Contrary to this hypothesis, no strong correlation was found between genetic grouping and virulence or other key biocontrol traits; instead, superior performance was strain-specific. The DH42 strain was the most virulent, exhibiting the highest corrected mortality rate (100%), the highest mycosis rate (85.00%), and the lowest LT₅₀ (4.76 d). DH42 also exhibited superior biological characteristics, including the highest hyphal growth rate, higher sporulation, germination rates, and thermotolerance compared with the other isolates. This study enhanced our understanding of the epizootic potential of <em>B. bassiana</em> in controlling coleopterous pests and revealed that while genetic diversity and lineage dominance are prominent features of the epizootic population, direct phenotypic screening remains essential for identifying effective biocontrol agents. The highly virulent isolate DH42 is a promising candidate for developing mycoinsecticides for biological control in tea plantations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108548"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}