Native Entomopathogenic Fungi Isolated from <i>Rhynchophorus palmarum</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in Northeast Brazil
Viviane Araujo Dalbon,
Juan Pablo Molina Acevedo,
Karlos Antônio Lisboa Ribeiro Junior,
João Manoel da Silva,
Mayra Machado de Medeiros Ferro,
Aldomário Santo Negrisoli Júnior,
Henrique Goulart Fonseca,
Antônio Euzébio Goulart Santana,
Francesco Porcelli
Affiliations
Viviane Araujo Dalbon
Laboratory of Natural Product Research, Campus for Engineering and Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió 57072-900, AL, Brazil
Juan Pablo Molina Acevedo
Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research C. I. Turipana, Montería 230002, Colombia
Karlos Antônio Lisboa Ribeiro Junior
Laboratory of Natural Products and Mass Spectrometry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food and Nutrition, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
João Manoel da Silva
Soil Laboratory, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Alagoas—IFAL, Santana do Ipanema Campus, Santana do Ipanema 57500-000, AL, Brazil
Mayra Machado de Medeiros Ferro
Phytopathology Research Laboratory, Center for Engineering and Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Rio Largo 57072-900, AL, Brazil
Aldomário Santo Negrisoli Júnior
Brazilian Agricultural Research Company—Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, Aracaju 49025-040, SE, Brazil
Henrique Goulart Fonseca
Laboratory of Natural Product Research, Campus for Engineering and Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió 57072-900, AL, Brazil
Antônio Euzébio Goulart Santana
Laboratory of Natural Product Research, Campus for Engineering and Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió 57072-900, AL, Brazil
Francesco Porcelli
Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta e degli Alimenti, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Campus Universitario Ernesto Quagliariello, Via Amendola, 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
Both palm weevils, the South American (Rhynchophorus palmarum) (SAPW) and the red palm weevil (R. ferrugineus, RPW), are present in South America, affecting commercial, ornamental, and native palms. These pests oviposit and thrive on selected Arecaceae. R. palmarum mainly infests coconut (Cocos nucifera), oil palms (Elaeis guineensis), and other ornamental and native palms in America, causing a significant social impact on growers. The weevils fulfill a significant ectosymbiotic macro- and microorganism role in the first period of larval development, worsening the damage which, during this period, is not yet apparent. Palm protection in the Brazilian context suggests the use of indigenous agents for microbiological biocontrol. This research identifies three Brazilian Beauveria bassiana isolates: CVAD01, CVAD02, and CVAD06. The results suggest that the strain’s impact on R. palmarum can also be compared with that of the commercial strain Beauveria bassiana. Phylogenetic analysis allowed the delimitation of species of Beauveria (Hypocreales). Pathogenicity tests caused significant mortality in R. palmarum. The isolates CVAD01, CVAD02, and CVADO6 showed high pathogenicity between 7 and 21 days, with mortality rates between 90 and 100%, suggesting that they may be effective biological control agents of R. palmarum in the field when used, within available means, to mitigate the impact of R. palmarum and R. ferrugineus in South America.
