Background: Fungal pathogens of Hypera postica (Gyllenhall) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were collected from the vicinities of Adana and Igdir in Turkey. The pathogenicity of the fungal isolates against the pest were investigated. According to morphologic (colony morphology, spore shape) and molecular (sequences of ITS1-5.8S ITS2 region and EF1-α, Bloc, and RPB1 genes) characterizations, the isolates were identified as Beauveria bassiana (HpI-2, HpI-6, HpI-7, HpI-10, HpA-3, HpA-4, HpA-5) and Beauveria pseudobassiana (HpI-4). All these strains were isolated from H. postica for the first time. In order to determine pathogenesis of all isolates on the target pest, bioassays were conducted against larvae and adults, as screening of (1 × 10 7 conidia/ml) and dose-response (1 × 10 5 , 1 × 10 6 , 1 × 10 7 , 1 × 10 8 , conidia/ml), under laboratory conditions. The fungal isolates, closely related to each other, yielded significantly varied mortalities on larvae and adults. H. postica larvae were found more susceptible than adults to the fungal isolates in all tests. The highest mortality rates (100 and 98%) for larvae and adults, respectively, were obtained by B. bassiana strain HpA-5 within 14 days at 1 × 10 8 conidia/ml concentration. The median lethal concentration (LD 50) of HpA-5 required to kill the larvae and adults of H. postica at concentrations of 2.37 × 10 4 and 1.4 × 10 5 conidia/ml, respectively. These results are promising; therefore, the B. bassiana strain HpA-5 can potentially be used against H. postica.

No abstract

No abstract

Chalky spot damage on red lentil is the most important problem waiting for a solution regarding plant health at lentil cultivation in Southeast Anatolia Region, Turkey. The stink bugs, Piezedorus lituratus (F.) and Dolycorus baccarum L. were subjected to trials in cages and in sprayed and unsprayed plot trials in open lentil fields and fields containing windrowed lentils after harvesting. The study revealed that P. lituratus and D. baccarum feeding on red lentil caused chalky spot damage. Average damage to lentil seeds caused by P. lituratus was 13% and 7.8% and by D. baccarum was 4.9% and 2% in 2010 and 2011, respectively. There was a positive relation between P. lituratus density and chalky spot damage (r =0.788, r 2 =0.621, P=0.000). The study also showed that after the harvesting, the stink bugs gathered under windrowed lentils and continued feeding and causing chalky spot damage. The damage in unsprayed windrowed lentils (6.60%) was approximately 12-fold higher than that in sprayed windrowed lentils (0.57%). Study suggests conduction of future work on environmental friendly control methods of stink bugs and alternative harvesting methods.

No abstract