Biological Control最新文献

{"title":"A genetically safe Burkholderia cenocepacia strain P3 suppresses Cercospora zeina via siderophore-mediated iron deprivation","authors":"Lu Zheng,&nbsp;Rui Chen,&nbsp;Xin Pu,&nbsp;Ting Zheng,&nbsp;Bing He","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105896","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105896","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gray leaf spot (GLS), caused by <em>Cercospora zeina</em>, is a devastating fungal disease of maize worldwide. This study reports the isolation of a novel rhizobacterium, strain P3, from the maize rhizosphere, which was identified as <em>Burkholderia cenocepacia</em> based on phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and dnaG genes. Strain P3 exhibited broad-spectrum antifungal activity against multiple pathogens and demonstrated plant growth-promoting traits. Genomic analysis confirmed the absence of major virulence genes, supporting its environmental safety. Fermentation conditions for siderophore production were optimized, achieving a yield of 85.5 % siderophore units under optimal conditions (sucrose 5 g/L, asparagine 3 g/L, pH 7.0, 32 °C). The fermentation supernatant of P3 inhibited <em>C. zeina</em> growth dose-dependently, causing hyphal membrane damage and reactive oxygen species accumulation. Two siderophores, pyochelin and ornibactin, were identified and shown to synergistically suppress fungal growth under iron-limited conditions. Greenhouse trials demonstrated that pretreatment with strain P3 significantly reduced lesion area and disease severity in maize plants challenged with <em>C. zeina</em>. These results indicate that B. cenocepacia P3 is a promising, environmentally friendly biocontrol agent with strong potential for integrated management of gray leaf spot.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105896"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ageratina adenophora essential oil: A promising miticidal agent against Sarcoptes scabiei, and its effects on key enzymatic pathways","authors":"Fei Liao ,&nbsp;Jie He ,&nbsp;Yang Wen ,&nbsp;Ziyao Tang ,&nbsp;Feng Yang ,&nbsp;Rui Zhi ,&nbsp;Yanlong Qiao ,&nbsp;Bin Chen ,&nbsp;Yanchun Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105898","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105898","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The common scabies mite, <em>Sarcoptes scabiei</em> (<em>S. scabiei</em>) is a cosmopolitan parasite of humans and other mammals. This study evaluated the potential of<!--> <em>Ageratina adenophora</em> <!-->(<em>A. adenophora</em>) essential oil (EO) to serve as a synergist for enhancing biological control agents against scabies by investigating its acaricidal activity and underlying mechanism. 52 components (99.6 %) were identified by GC–MS. The major components included bornyl acetate (11.16 %), <em>β</em>-bisabolene (9.34 %), cymene (8.17 %), <em>γ</em>-curcumene (8.10 %), and <em>β</em>-caryophyllene (8.05 %). <em>In vitro</em>, it showed good contact toxicity, fumigation activity, and repellency against <em>S. scabiei</em>. At 40 mg/mL for 2 h, the contact mortality, fumigation mortality and repellent rates were 100 %, 100 %, and 92 %, respectively. Medium lethal concentration (LC₅₀) values for contact toxicity and fumigation activity at 2 h were 27.132 mg/mL and 12.579 mg/mL. <em>In vivo</em>, cure rates at 20, 10, 5 mg/mL were 100 %, 100 %, 83.3 % in rabbits, with no skin irritation at 200 mg/mL. Enzyme tests showed that SOD increased first, then decreased, GST was activated, AchE, Na⁺-K⁺-ATP, and Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATP were inhibited. The significant activity of <em>A. adenophora</em> essential oil both <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em>, along with its ability to disrupt key physiological processes in mites, supports its potential as a synergist to enhance the efficacy of biological control agents against scabies mites. Additionally, the observed safety profile at certain doses further encourages its exploration as a component within integrated pest management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105898"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genome sequencing and experimental validation reveal the biocontrol activity of endophytic Bacillus velezensis XY3 against Colletotrichum fructicola","authors":"Yi-Mei Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhen-Cheng Duan ,&nbsp;Yuan-Pu Lv ,&nbsp;Zhen-Kun Li ,&nbsp;Wan-Ying Zhang ,&nbsp;Ling-Yun Zheng ,&nbsp;Ya-Feng Dai ,&nbsp;Guang Yang ,&nbsp;An-Dong Gong","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105892","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105892","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tea anthracnose, caused by <em>Colletotrichum</em> spp., is a prevalent foliar disease in the primary tea-planting regions of China. The conventional chemical control of tea anthracnose results in excessive fungicide residues, which constrain the export of tea from our country. Therefore, it is imperative to develop safe and pollution-free biological control methods. Strain XY3, isolated from the healthy leaves of ‘Xinyang 10’ cultivar and identified as <em>Bacillus velezensis</em> through 16S rRNA gene analysis, demonstrated significant inhibition of conidial germination, hyphal growth, and the pathogenicity of <em>Colletotrichum fructicola</em>. Propidium iodide and Hoechst staining assays indicated that the membrane permeability of the mycelium was compromised when cultured with the fermentation broth of XY3. Crude lipopeptides were extracted from fermentation broth showing an EC₅₀ value of 21.33 µg mL⁻¹, and the antimicrobial compounds including iturinA, fengycinA, surfactin, and their homologs were detected via LC-MS/MS. Plate confrontation assay verified that iturin and fengycin purified compounds exhibited notable inhibitory activities. Additionally, the whole genome of XY3 was sequenced with 46.5 % GC content in the size of 3.93 Mb circular chromosome. Subsequent, Go, KEGG and COG analysis were conducted, identifying 102 carbohydrate-active enzymes, 12 gene clusters of secondary metabolites. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that two unique genes ctg_01263 and ctg_01267 of strain XY3 are related to lanthipeptide synthetase synthesis. These functional analyses reveal a numerous genes involved in the biosynthesis of antagonistic metabolites antagonistic to pathogens. Besides, XY3 also exhibits the potential in promoting plant growth by producing indole-3-acetic acid. Collectively, <em>B. velezensis</em> XY3 emerges as a promising biocontrol agent against <em>C. fructicola</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105892"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Entomopathogenic fungi from paddy soils suppress a major insect pest and enhance rice growth under greenhouse conditions","authors":"Noppol Kobmoo ,&nbsp;Suchada Mongkolsamrit ,&nbsp;Artit Khonsanit ,&nbsp;Wasana Noisripoom ,&nbsp;Non Sawangkaew ,&nbsp;Donnaya Thanakitpipattana ,&nbsp;Cattarin Theerawitaya ,&nbsp;Suriyan Cha-um ,&nbsp;Janet Jennifer Luangsa-ard ,&nbsp;Jintana Unartngam","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105894","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105894","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intensive agrochemical use in rice cultivation poses environmental and health risks, emphasizing the need for sustainable alternatives. The development of biocontrol agents that can simultaneously suppress pests and enhance rice growth and production is particularly needed. In this study, we investigated the functionality of Hypocrealean entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) isolated from paddy soils across Thailand to suppress a major insect pest, the brown planthopper (<em>Nilaparvata lugens</em>) and to promote rice growth. Seventy-five EPF strains were isolated from paddy soils, primarily identified as belonging to <em>Metarhizium</em> and <em>Purpureocillium</em> genera. Two <em>Metarhizium</em> strains (MY13317.02 and MY13317.32), belonging to <em>M. pingshaense</em> sensu lato complex, exhibited strong virulence against <em>N. lugens</em> in vitro and demonstrated high phosphate-solubilizing activity, significantly enhancing rice growth, yield and photosynthetic performance under greenhouse conditions. The findings highlight the promising potential of these <em>Metarhizium</em> strains as multifunctional bioinoculants for sustainable rice agriculture, combining plant growth promotion with biocontrol efficacy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105894"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bio-organic fertilizers containing potential biocontrol strains suppress bacterial soft rot and reshape soil microbial communities in cucumbers","authors":"Zhongqiang Gao ,&nbsp;Xiaoting Wang ,&nbsp;Xiwu Ding ,&nbsp;Xia Gao ,&nbsp;Yanan Han ,&nbsp;Biao Gong ,&nbsp;Jian Wang ,&nbsp;Weiqiang Li ,&nbsp;Fenghui Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105891","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105891","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bacterial soft rot disease poses a serious threat to cucumber production. Bio-organic fertilizers containing antagonistic beneficial microorganisms have emerged as promising approaches for enhancing plant disease resistance. However, the underlying mechanisms by which these fertilizers suppress bacterial soft rot disease remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the fundamental patterns of bio-organic fertilizer regulation of bacterial and fungal community assembly in cucumbers and their relationships with bacterial soft rot resistance through a field experiment involving four different types of bio-organic fertilizer treatments. The plant health and soil fertility increased significantly under all treatments. The combination of Chinese medicine residue with bio-organic fertilizer demonstrated the most pronounced effects among all treatments. Shifts in bacterial and fungal community structure induced by bio-organic fertilizers are crucial in suppressing bacterial soft rot disease. In particular, bio-organic fertilizers recruit more beneficial microorganisms with antimicrobial activity and promote plant growth traits. Following bio-organic fertilizer application, the bacterial network displays greater complexity than the fungal network. Structural equation models have demonstrated the influence of bio-organic fertilizer application on specific microflora that drives modifications in soil physicochemical properties. Altering key soil physicochemical factors such as total nitrogen and total phosphorus is vital for promoting the suppressive effect of bio-organic fertilizers on bacterial soft rot. Thus, the effectiveness of bio-organic fertilizers stems from a combination of the actual antagonistic activities of the inoculated biocontrol agents and the promotion of indigenous beneficial microbial groups. This dual mechanism not only suppresses the growth of pathogens directly but also strengthens the soil’s overall microbial ecosystem, thereby promoting plant health and resistance to diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105891"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Density-dependent transgenerational effects of Pyemotes zhonghuajia parasitism on the Megabruchidius dorsalis","authors":"Silin Chen ,&nbsp;Siyu Chen ,&nbsp;Jianfeng Liu ,&nbsp;Fangling Xu ,&nbsp;Maofa Yang ,&nbsp;Chengxu Wu ,&nbsp;Runa Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105890","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105890","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ectoparasitic mites can significantly influence host insect populations by altering their growth, reproduction, and survival. This study investigates the density-dependent effects of <em>Pyemotes zhonghuajia</em> (Yu, Zhang &amp; He) (Prostigmata: Pyemotidae) parasitism on the life history traits and population dynamics of <em>Megabruchidius dorsalis</em> (Fahraeus, 1839) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae). Using a two-sex life table approach, we analyzed the impact of different <em>P. zhonghuajia</em> densities (5, 10, and 20 mites per host) on both parental and offspring generations. The results showed that low-density parasitism (5 mites) significantly reduced parental fecundity (from 25.310 to 13.220 eggs/female) and suppressed offspring population growth (<em>R₀</em> reduced to 0.203), likely due to maternal effects. Under high-density mite parasitism (10 and 20 mites), parental adults exhibit extended longevity, delayed maturation, and suppressed reproduction, while the offspring show a partial restoration of reproductive potential. The findings suggest that <em>P. zhonghuajia</em> parasitism disrupts <em>M. dorsalis</em> population dynamics through density-dependent and intergenerational effects, offering insights into its potential as a biocontrol agent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105890"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Field evaluation of augmentative biological control as a management tool against an invading scale insect, Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae)","authors":"Amber R. Stiller ,&nbsp;Kevin D. Chase ,&nbsp;Jeremy D. Slone ,&nbsp;Caitlin A. Littlejohn ,&nbsp;Isabel M. Márez ,&nbsp;Samuel F. Ward","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105889","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105889","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban plantings are often faced with herbivorous pest outbreaks and thus require extensive management regimes to protect plant health. Scale insects are common landscape pests that are frequently controlled with various insecticides. However, off-target effects and subsequent restrictions of certain pesticides have created uncertainty in management options for some scale insects. <em>Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae</em> (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) is a non-native scale that is most easily controlled with neonicotinoids, in part because cultural methods and resident natural enemies have provided insufficient control in many contexts. Therefore, the use of augmentative biological control (ABC) may be a potential management option against <em>A. lagerstroemiae</em> in the urban landscape. Here, we investigated the use of <em>Rhyzobius lophanthae</em> (Blaisdell) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and <em>Chrysoperla rufilabris</em> Burmeister (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) individually and in combination for use against <em>A. lagerstroemiae</em> in a two-year field study. We determined that <em>R. lophanthae</em> can reduce <em>A. lagerstroemiae</em> population growth when released as a single species and when netting is used to confine beetles to the plant. <em>Chrysoperla rufilabris</em> did not impact <em>A. lagerstroemiae</em> population growth regardless of density released<em>.</em> However, we identified several landscape factors that significantly increased <em>A. lagerstroemiae</em> population growth (e.g., ant attendance). Results presented here guide ABC application procedures relating to the timing, methodology, density, and frequency of releases that may be needed to successfully control <em>A. lagerstroemiae.</em> Further work investigating how <em>R. lophanthae</em> can be incorporated into an IPM program is needed to optimize <em>A. lagerstroemiae</em> management plans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105889"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Suppression of Fusarium wilt in banana and growth promotion by the beneficial fungus Trichoderma asperellum TRC900 is cultivar-dependent","authors":"Maitreyee Sarma ,&nbsp;Yasmín Zorrilla-Fontanesi ,&nbsp;Subbaraya Uma ,&nbsp;Herve Vanderschuren ,&nbsp;Rony Swennen ,&nbsp;Barbara De Coninck","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105878","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105878","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The hemibiotrophic, soil-borne fungal pathogen <em>Fusarium oxysporum</em> f.sp. <em>cubense</em> TR4 (<em>Foc</em> TR4) poses a major threat to global banana production, with no effective management method currently available. Therefore, the identification of eco-friendly strategies to mitigate Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB) is crucial. Biological control organisms (BCOs), like <em>Trichoderma</em> spp., can directly suppress pathogen growth and enhance plant defense responses, thereby improving crop yields. Two commercial <em>Trichoderma asperellum</em> strains, TRC900 and T34, were tested for their efficacy in reducing FWB symptoms in two Cavendish banana cultivars (cvs.), ‘Valery’ and ‘Grand Naine’. <em>In vitro</em> bioassays showed both strains inhibited <em>Foc</em> TR4 mycelial growth by 40%. Inoculation of ‘Valery’ with TRC900 significantly reduced FWB symptoms when applied in the same pot as <em>Foc</em> TR4, while T34 did not. In ‘Valery’, TRC900 also reduced symptoms in a split-root setup, suggesting that TRC900 triggers induced resistance (IR). In ‘Grand Naine’, neither strain reduced disease symptoms. Both strains were also assessed for their ability to promote banana plant growth in absence of <em>Foc</em> TR4. In ‘Valery’, both strains significantly increased plant growth, while in ‘Grand Naine’, TRC900 reduced growth and T34 had minimal effect. Plant defense responses and growth promotion by <em>T. asperellum</em> were influenced by both the banana cultivar and the <em>Trichoderma</em> strain. Root colonization bioassays indicated TRC900 was more efficient in colonizing ‘Valery’ roots, suggesting that biocontrol effect could be attributed to enhanced colonization. These findings highlight how a single BCO can elicit different responses in closely-related cvs., influencing the outcome of plant-BCO-pathogen interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105878"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145106195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bacillus velezensis SBB80 affects the development of Fusarium and Neocosmospora species and controls Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) larvae","authors":"Marcelo Tavares de Castro ,&nbsp;Antônia Débora Camila de Lima Ferreira ,&nbsp;Izabela Nunes do Nascimento ,&nbsp;Gabriela Teodoro Rocha ,&nbsp;Ítalo Alves Freire ,&nbsp;Giovana Cidade Gomes ,&nbsp;Breno Beda dos Reis Cunha ,&nbsp;Sandro Coelho Linhares Montalvão ,&nbsp;Flávia Melo Moreira ,&nbsp;Rosiane Andrade da Costa ,&nbsp;Rose Gomes Monnerat","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105888","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105888","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Bacillus velezensis</em> is a species of gram-positive spore-forming bacteria that has gained prominence in agricultural use, especially to control fungi and phytopathogenic nematodes. This work aimed to: i) carry out the morphological, molecular, biochemical and physiological characterization of a Brazilian <em>B. velezensis</em> strain (SBB80); ii) evaluate its antagonistic potential against eight isolates of <em>Fusarium</em> spp. and two of <em>Neocosmospora</em> spp.; iii) and determine its toxic effect on larvae of six insect pests from the order Lepidoptera. As a result, the SBB80 strain was able to synthesize siderophores, antimicrobial lipopeptides as surfactin and fengycin, exopolysaccharides at 28 °C, and the enzymes protease, lipase, cellulase, catalase and phosphatase, inhibiting the growth of the eight <em>Fusarium</em> isolates (51.01 % to 61.82 % inhibition), the two <em>Neocosmospora</em> isolates (57.84 % and 73.80 % inhibition), and control <em>Diatraea saccharalis</em> caterpillars (77.08 % mortality) after 7 days. These results show that the <em>B. velezensis</em> SBB80 strain has great potential to be used in the field for the management of pests and diseases and greenhouse and field studies must be conducted to validate its efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105888"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145010944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pathogenicity of the fungus Beauveria pseudobassiana for Popillia japonica depends on the developmental stage of the insect","authors":"Noëmi Küng ,&nbsp;Sara Boschi ,&nbsp;Franco Widmer ,&nbsp;Jürg Enkerli","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105887","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105887","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Popillia japonica</em> is an invasive, polyphagous beetle feeding on more than 400 host plants and responsible for major crop damage in infested regions in North America, northern Italy and southern Switzerland. Currently, control of <em>P. japonica</em> largely relies on synthetic insecticides. Recently, <em>Beauveria pseudobassiana</em> has been described as the dominant pathogen on <em>Melolontha melolontha</em> adults, a native scarabaeoid relative of <em>P. japonica</em>. <em>B. pseudobassiana</em> has been detected on several insect species, in soil but also on plant leaves indicating its adaptation to environmental conditions above ground.</div><div>We evaluated survival of <em>P. japonica</em> adults and larvae exposed to four strains of <em>B. pseudobassiana</em> (ART 2881, ART 2882, ART 2883, ART 2884) and a <em>M. brunneum</em> strain (Ma 43), registered as control agent against several Scarabaeidae species in Europe. All the fungal strains led to a significant three-to-five-fold reduction in the median survival of <em>P. japonica</em> adults, when dipped in conidia suspensions or exposed to fungus inoculated leaves, while ART 2884 was in both tests the most virulent strain. In contrast, none of the fungal isolates reduced larval survival, with mortality rates of 2–8 % after 70 days. From field-collected beetles, we obtained natural <em>Beauveria</em> isolates, some of which were identified as <em>B. pseudobassiana</em>, indicating a possible role of the fungus in natural infection scenarios. The high <em>in vitro</em> virulence of <em>B. pseudobassiana</em> together with its competence for above ground conditions and occurrence on <em>P. japonica</em> in the field indicates potential of this fungus as biological control agent (BCA) against adult <em>P. japonica.</em></div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105887"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}