Biological Control最新文献

{"title":"The effect of soil on the efficacy of a nematode-based biopesticide of slugs","authors":"Kerry McDonald-Howard ,&nbsp;Christopher D. Williams ,&nbsp;Hayley Jones ,&nbsp;Robbie Rae","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105751","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105751","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Several slug species are serious pests of agriculture and are difficult to control. One popular control method is the nematode <em>Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita,</em> which has been used in slug control for &gt; 25 years. However, there are reports of it failing to reduce slug numbers and damage in the field for unknown reasons. This may be due to lack of knowledge about how <em>P. hermaphrodita</em> performs when applied to different soils<em>.</em> We therefore assessed the survival, movement and pathogenicity of <em>P. hermaphrodita</em> infective juveniles (IJs) when added to six different soils (compost with and without peat, clay loam, loam, sandy loam and sandy soil). The soils were either frozen or autoclaved before use to eradicate resident nematodes prior to the experiment. <em>P. hermaphrodita</em> survived best in autoclaved compost without peat and in experiments with frozen soils, compost with and without peat was best. Survival of <em>P. hermaphrodita</em> was similar in other soils. Interestingly, in peat-free compost <em>P. hermaphrodita</em> reproduced prolifically, which may affect the long-term success of the nematode in the field as other life stages, apart from the IJ stage, cannot infect slugs. In infection experiments we found <em>P. hermaphrodita</em> added to compost with peat killed slugs faster than nematodes added to a sandy clay loam or sandy soil. In movement experiments, the nematodes remained within 3 cm of the application point in each soil. In summary, soil type severely affects <em>P. hermaphrodita</em> survival<em>,</em> and the ability to kill slugs; therefore it should be assessed by farmers and gardeners before use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105751"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143686941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Species distribution models reveal restricted areas for biological control of Bactrocera carambolae by its parasitoid Fopius arisanus in Brazil","authors":"Fábio Luis Galvão-Silva ,&nbsp;Jesús Hernando Gómez Llano ,&nbsp;Adilson Lopes Lima ,&nbsp;Cristiane Ramos de Jesus ,&nbsp;Ricardo Adaime ,&nbsp;Dori Edson Nava","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105752","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105752","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Fopius arisanus</em> (Sonan) is an exotic parasitoid used to control <em>Bactrocera</em> spp. In Brazil, it is suggested as a control agent for <em>Bactrocera carambolae</em> Drew &amp; Hancock. The pest is currently restricted to the northern territory of Brazil; however, temperature changes may lead to an increase in its distribution. Species distribution models (SDMs) can predict a species’ potential geographic range in a particular climate change scenario. We aimed to predict the susceptible areas for expanding and establishing <em>B. carambolae</em> and its parasitoid, <em>F. arisanus</em> in Brazil, particularly, in the Amazon region. Climate layers were extracted from bioclimatic variables, and Random Forest was used to predict the SMDs for both Brazilian species under two climatic scenarios (intermediary and extreme). Our predictions showed a larger suitability area for <em>B. carambolae</em> establishment than for its parasitoids. Although <em>B. carambolae</em> is widespread, especially in the North and Midwest, <em>F. arisanus</em> has a limited area from west of Ceará State to North and East of Amapá State. <em>Fopius arisanus</em> had a low chance of increasing its geographical area under both climatic scenarios. The parasitoids and their hosts were similarly influenced by bioclimatic variables [precipitation seasonality (BIO15) and annual precipitation (BIO12)]. Our results revealed a limited compatibility area for both <em>B. carambolae</em> and <em>F. arisanus</em> in the Brazilian territory, with potential expansion of the pest compared with its parasitoid. In this context, the country’s northern regions face a “red alert flag” for implementing strategies to prevent the spread of pests by releasing parasitoids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105752"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143686942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Managing thrips in strawberries: How effective are insecticide-free options? A meta-analysis","authors":"Lucien Schneeberger ,&nbsp;Louis Sutter ,&nbsp;Noëlle Valérie Schenk ,&nbsp;Lindsey Norgrove","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105744","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105744","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thrips are major pests in strawberry crops, with control becoming complex due to increasing temperatures, the banning of certain pesticides and growing insecticide resistance. As a global synthesis is lacking, we aimed to: list the interventions tested on strawberries; compare their effectiveness; and identify promising new strategies and research gaps. We conducted a systematic literature review, using Web of Science on October 18, 2024. We included studies monitoring thrips population or damage in strawberries with management interventions. Fifty-nine papers met our criteria, thirty-six of which included a negative control and were included in a <em>meta</em>-analysis. <em>Frankliniella occidentalis</em> (n = 30) and <em>Scirtothrips dorsalis</em> (n = 10) were the most studied species. Biocontrol agents and insecticides were the most common interventions, each assessed in 39 % and 47 % of studies, respectively. Predators were the most promising alternative to insecticides and the effects of 19 such species were observed. <em>Neoseiulus cucumeris</em>, <em>Orius laevigatus</em> and <em>Transeius montdorensis</em> were the most extensively studied. Across studies, predators reduced thrips populations by 51 % to 78 %, compared with 56 % to 79 % using insecticides. Variability between study sites was more significant than between treatments highlighting the importance of other factors, such as climate, not considered in this analysis in the method’s effectiveness. Using tolerant varieties and mass trapping reduced thrips populations by an average of 65 % and 68 %, respectively. However further research is needed. Recent studies also highlighted the importance of early-season population dynamics and surrounding flora on thrips management. Despite progress, more research is required to optimize these strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105744"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143686940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Control effect of Phlebia acerina MY51 on blueberry gray mold and its impact on interfoliar microorganisms","authors":"Qian Yan,&nbsp;Rui Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105742","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105742","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Blueberry gray mold is caused mainly by <em>Botrytis cinerea.</em> We isolated a strain of <em>Phlebia acerina</em> MY51 from blueberry fungi, which showed a potent inhibitory effect on <em>B. cinerea</em>. Our study revealed that MY51 wrapped <em>B. cinerea</em> hyphae, causing deformation and exhibiting strong broad-spectrum antifungal effects. The mycelium of <em>B. cinerea</em> was significantly inhibited by volatiles, broth metabolites and the dual culture combined with the MY51 strain, with inhibitory rates of 47.67%, 39.33% and 46.10%, respectively. Twelve known antibacterial metabolites were detected in the methanol extract of its fermentation broth. In the pot experiment, MY51 significantly enhanced disease resistance, achieving an efficacy of 73.42%, against blueberry gray mold in addition to its capacity to stimulate growth. In the control experiment, different inoculation sequence treatments resulted in remarkable control effects of 76.96% and 70.89%, respectively. Upon MY51 inoculation, the activities of CAT, SOD, POD, PPO, and PAL significantly decreased in comparison with those in the CK. With the first and subsequent MY51 injection, the enzyme activity increased by 1.66%, 136.90%, 23.87%, 38.95%, and 96.61% and 15.69%, 32.50%, 20.00%, 196.25%, and 84.29%, respectively. Significant alterations in the blueberry interfoliar microbial community were caused by MY51 inoculation. Reference databases were used, and taxonomy annotation was conducted. The main microbial phyla identified were Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Most of the bacteria and fungi present are considered beneficial, such as <em>Trichoderma</em>, <em>Aureobasidium</em>, <em>Vishniacozyma</em>, <em>Alcaligenaceae</em>, <em>Bacillu</em>s, and <em>Pseudomonas</em>. In conclusion, MY51 can considerably reduce blueberry gray mold outbreaks and offers fresh approaches for field management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105742"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143621335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selection, application, and pathogenicity of naturally occurring Beauveria bassiana strains against Ips duplicatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)","authors":"Jozef Vakula ,&nbsp;Christo Nikolov ,&nbsp;Michal Lalík ,&nbsp;Miriam Kádasi Horáková ,&nbsp;Slavomír Rell ,&nbsp;Juraj Galko ,&nbsp;Andrej Gubka ,&nbsp;Milan Zúbrik ,&nbsp;Andrej Kunca ,&nbsp;Marek Barta","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105740","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105740","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Norway spruce (<em>Picea abies</em>) stands in Central Europe are increasingly threatened by the northern bark beetle, <em>Ips duplicatus</em>, which is a pest whose distribution and impact have expanded significantly in recent decades. The reduced efficacy of traditional pest control methods against this species underscores the need for innovation management strategies. This study investigates a novel approach that combines modified pheromone traps with the biological control agent <em>Beauveria bassiana</em>, an entomopathogenic fungus. A total of 48 <em>B. bassiana</em> strains were obtained from natural populations of <em>I. duplicatus</em>. Following laboratory testing, two strains (NRID11 and NRID43) were selected for field trials. Carriers of the living organism were inoculated with these strains and then placed in applicators as part of the pheromone traps. The study evaluated the effects of selected strains and different carrier exposure periods on beetle mortality rates. The NRID11 strain showed some percentages exceeding 90 % after 21 days of exposure. However, efficacy decreased to less than 60 % when the carriers remained in the traps for more than 30 days. These findings emphasize the importance of optimizing exposure duration and confirm the potential of carriers inoculated with <em>B. bassiana</em> in modified pheromone traps as a promising biological control strategy against <em>I. duplicatus</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105740"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Host range, biology, and thermal tolerance of Lygomusotima stria, a potential biological control agent of Old World climbing fern (Lygodium microphyllum) in the USA","authors":"G.S. Wheeler ,&nbsp;E.C. Lake ,&nbsp;E.Mattison Frank ,&nbsp;P.D. Pratt ,&nbsp;G.F. Sutton","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105741","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105741","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Old World climbing fern, <em>Lygodium microphyllum</em> (Cav.) R. Br., is one of the worst environmental weeds of southern and central Florida. The weed climbs over other plants, forming thick mats that block sunlight to native shrubs and trees. In the introduced range, Old World climbing fern invades much of the southern peninsula of Florida where cost-effective, sustainable control methods are needed. A potential biological control agent, the defoliating moth <em>Lygomusotima stria</em> Solis &amp; Yen, was collected in Thailand and Singapore and examined to determine if it was safe for release. A series of no-choice tests was conducted on neonate and third instars. The results indicated that <em>L. stria</em> could only feed and complete development on three congeners: the target weed; <em>L. microphyllum</em>; another invasive exotic; <em>L. japonicum</em>; and the native <em>L. palmatum</em>. Oviposition tests indicated that adults laid eggs broadly across many taxa but primarily on members of the <em>Lygodium</em> genus. Multigeneration studies indicated that <em>L. stria</em> could sustain a population on <em>L. microphyllum, L. japonicum</em>, and <em>L. palmatum</em> for at least four generations. However, the results of lower lethal temperature studies indicated that the LLT50 for <em>L. stria</em> immatures ranged from −2.8 to 1.6 °C, indicating <em>L. stria</em> will not persist in areas where the more temperate <em>L. palmatum</em> grows. Thus, <em>L. stria</em> has a very narrow host range and we predict it will not pose a threat to <em>L. palmatum</em> as it has a low tolerance for the colder temperatures where this plant grows naturally. The release of <em>L. stria</em> is expected to safely assist in the effort to manage the invasive weed Old World climbing fern.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105741"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Streptomyces toxytricini, a biocontrol plant growth-promoting bacterium against smut of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)","authors":"Fei Jin ,&nbsp;Lei Xu ,&nbsp;Haosen Xu ,&nbsp;Qinghua Yang ,&nbsp;Baili Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105743","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105743","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Smut disease is one of the significant threats to broomcorn millet. It is essential to find a safe method to control this disease for sustainable agricultural development. To address this issue, we isolated various strains from the rhizosphere soil of broomcorn millet. Among these, 18 strains exhibited inhibitory effects on smut, with the v-3 strain demonstrating the best control effect. The morphological characteristics of the v-3 strain showed that the colony was cinnamon pink, and the surface was rough and opaque. The spores were light pink, and the aerial hyphae were well-developed. This strain was found to produce protease, hydrogen sulfide, and melanin. Finally, 16S rDNA sequencing confirmed that the strain is closely related to <em>Streptomyces toxytricini</em>. From 2021 to 2022, the v-3 strain was prepared as spore suspension (SS) and sterile fermentation broth (SF) for field experiments. The results showed that the disease plant rate of broomcorn millet smut was reduced by 39.55%∼55.29% and 50.91%∼63.14% after using SS and SF, respectively. Similary, the control rate increased 39.46%∼59.05% and 50.96%∼62.99%, respectively. Furthermore, the v-3 strain significantly promoted the growth of aboveground traits (plant height and stem diameter) and underground traits (root fresh weight, root length, and root surface area) of broomcorn millet. It also improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase) in the leaves, and reduced the malondialdehyde content. These findings preliminarily indicate that the v-3 strain has biocontrol potential against broomcorn millet smut and could promote the growth of broomcorn millet.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105743"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Larvicidal activity against Phenolia (Lasiodites) picta (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) on jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Miller var. inermis Rehder) and the improvement of high-quality fruit production using Bacillus licheniformis PR2","authors":"Jae-Hyun Moon ,&nbsp;Sang-Jae Won ,&nbsp;Vantha Choub ,&nbsp;Su-In Choi ,&nbsp;Ju-Yeol Yun ,&nbsp;Henry B. Ajuna ,&nbsp;Iksoo Kim ,&nbsp;Chul-Woo Kim ,&nbsp;Young Sang Ahn","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105739","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105739","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing consumption and demand of jujube fruits has accelerated production over the recent past. However, the aspects of eco-friendly strategies for pest control and high-quality fruit production are becoming more important to combat the impending dangers of repeated chemicals use in orchard management. This study identified for the first time, the sap beetle (<em>Phenolia</em> (<em>Lasiodites</em>) <em>picta</em>) larvae (based on mitochondrial DNA barcode sequencing), as the major insect pest causing damage in jujube fruits in Korea. The study investigated the insecticidal potential of cuticle-degrading enzymes from <em>Bacillus licheniformis</em> PR2 against <em>P. picta</em> larvae, and the enhancement of fruit quality and yield, through phytohormone production, ammonia production and phosphate solubilizing properties of the bacterium. <em>Bacillus licheniformis</em> PR2 produced chitinase and protease and caused larval mortalities of 55.56 % and 68.89 % when treated with the bacterial broth culture and crude enzyme fraction, respectively. The insecticidal activity in both treatments were characterized by deep cuticle fissures with swollen/depressed surfaces and loss of sensilla. Field application of <em>B. licheniformis</em> PR2 effectively controlled <em>P. picta</em> larvae in jujube orchard during active feeding period as they moved from fruit-to-fruit which reduced the damage and premature fruit-drop. Moreover, <em>B. licheniformis</em> PR2 produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA) phytohormones, and increased the soil concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus concentration in the soil. The application of <em>B. licheniformis</em> PR2 in jujube orchard increased the chlorophyll content/photosynthetic activity, fruit yield, fruit characteristics (such as length, diameter and fruit weight) and the organoleptic properties (such as the Ca content, firmness and sugar concentration) of jujube fruits, compared to the control and conventional treatment. Thus, we demonstrate that <em>B. licheniformis</em> PR2 can be a viable alternative to chemical pesticides and fertilizers and could enhance the eco-friendly and sustainable production of high-quality jujube fruits to meet the increasing demands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 105739"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wolbachia-induced effects on the life history traits vary across generations of the parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor: Insights for mass rearing","authors":"Seyede Fatemeh Nasehi,&nbsp;Yaghoub Fathipour,&nbsp;Mohammad Mehrabadi","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Wolbachia</em> are the most widespread endosymbionts in Animalia, maternally inherited and capable of manipulating the reproductive system of their hosts. The <em>Wolbachia</em>-host interactions are often described as parasitic relationships, thought, <em>Wolbachia</em> are able to improve the fitness of some infected hosts. <em>Habrobracon hebetor</em> is an ectoparasitoid of lepidopteran larvae that are naturally infected with <em>Wolbachia</em>, which induces cytoplasmic incompatibility and enhances some fitness parameters after 8 generation as a short-term rearing. In this study, we evaluated the impact of <em>Wolbachia</em> on the life history traits of <em>H. hebetor</em> over successive generations using an age-stage, two-sex life table analysis. The results showed that generation had fitness costs on <em>H. hebetor</em>. <em>Wolbachia</em> infection affected developmental time and lifespan of <em>H. hebetor,</em> but showed no effect on the other life history traits. The developmental time was also affected by the interaction between <em>Wolbachia</em> infection and generation. Our results did not indicate a clear fitness cost or benefit of harboring <em>Wolbachia</em> in the host, however, generation considered as a negative factor on the productivity of insects under mass rearing conditions. This underscores the importance of considering the complex interactions between symbionts and their hosts when studying the ecological and evolutionary implications of these relationships.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 105731"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143576833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Combating aflatoxin contamination by combining biocontrol application and adapted maize germplasm in northeastern and southeastern Mexico","authors":"Carlos Muñoz-Zavala,&nbsp;Aide Molina-Macedo,&nbsp;Fernando H. Toledo,&nbsp;Eugenio Telles-Mejía,&nbsp;Luisa Cabrera-Soto,&nbsp;Natalia Palacios-Rojas","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maize is highly vulnerable to aflatoxin (AF) contamination caused by fungi from the <em>Aspergillus</em> section <em>Flavi</em>, with deficiencies in post-harvest management practices further exacerbating AF levels. Due to their carcinogenic properties, AFs pose significant health risks. Biological control using non-aflatoxigenic <em>A. flavus</em> isolates has been effective for over 25 years in the USA, with two formulations being commercially available. However, no such products have been developed yet for use in Mexico. This study evaluated the effectiveness of AF36-Prevail®, a non-aflatoxigenic strain from Arizona, for reducing aflatoxin contamination in Mexico. Over four years (2019–2022), we assessed its impact alongside regionally adapted maize germplasm in northeastern and southeastern Mexico. We analyzed a total of 1,479 grain samples, with 887 from biocontrol-treated fields, and 592 from untreated fields across 69 sites in Tamaulipas and Campeche. Treated fields showed 59.0 % to 89.9 % reductions in AF content compared to untreated fields, and higher ear rot was observed in untreated fields. Correlation coefficients between ear rot and AF content were <em>r</em> = 0.08 for Campeche and <em>r</em> = 0.36 for Tamaulipas. Significant differences (<em>p</em> ≤ 0.001) were noted between years and hybrids for both yields and AF levels. Three hybrids in Tamaulipas and four in Campeche demonstrated better adaptation, higher yields, and lower AF levels (&lt; 20 ppb). This research underscores the potential for safer maize production in Mexico, particularly when combining biocontrol strain application with adapted germplasm.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105727"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}