Characterization of Lecanicillium psalliotae and Akanthomyces muscarium from Sunn pests (Eurygaster spp.)

Abstract

Sunn pests, which can cause significant yield losses on wheat and barley, are one of the pests whose population levels should be followed. Overwintering areas, which have an important place in the biology of the insect, provide an advantage in the development of biological or integrated control with entomopathogenic fungi. Entomopathogenic fungi are one of the most important control agents in reducing the population in overwintering areas. In this study, one Lecanicillium psalliotae (KK8) isolate and one Akanthomyces muscarium (DIKA11/1) isolate were identified according to morphologic and molecular data. Pathogenicity test was carried out with DIKA11/1 A. muscarium isolate. Adult insects were inoculated with a 1×107 conidia/ml suspension. With this current study, A. muscarium was reported for the first time on sunn pests with 87.7% mortality rate. The L. psalliotae species, which is a pathogen on other insects and sunn pests, was isolated from the sunn pests and identified from Turkey. It is thought that DIKA11/1 A. muscarium isolate can be used in the biological control of this insect and commercial formulation development studies.

Keywords

• entomopathogenic fungi
• akanthomyces
• lecanicillium
• overwintering
• graminae