Isolation and characterization of one autochthonous Beauveria sp. isolate from Cuban fields

The genus Beauveria comprises a cosmopolitan teleomorphic and anamorphic group of ento-mopathogenic fungi. The aim of this study was to characterize a new isolate of Beauveria spp. and compare it to the LBB-1 commercial strain. The isolate was collected from the ant Atta insularis and adults of the coffee borer, respectively. It was cultivated on solid SDAY medium enriched with 1% yeast extract. The biological effectiveness of the isolate was determined on C. formicarius. DNA was isolated using the CTAB method and an internal transcribed spacer (ITS1, ITS4) were used as primers for amplification. The consensus sequence obtained was deposited in GenBank (MK246940) and used for phylogenetic analysis. This isolate showed differences in morphological characteristics; however, it showed low genetic variability regarding worldwide isolates of B. bassiana. Concerning its biological effectiveness, the isolate demonstrated to be virulent on the phytophagous adults, producing 50% mortality. Four clades were identified and the polytomous topography recovered for clade 1 indicates high genetic similarity (99-96%) with Beauveria bassiana from several countries. The morphological and molecular characterization made it possible to accurately identify the new isolate as Beauveria bassiana. The identified specie is another possibility for integrated pest management in Cuba and Mexico.