Endosymbiotic Bacteria Associated with the Mealy Bug, Rhizoecus amorphophalli (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Abstract

The mealy bug, Rhizoecus amorphophalli, is a menace to the aroid farmers due to the intensive infestation on stored tubers. Spraying of pesticides was able to control this pest but it always left a chance for fungal growth. Bacterial endosymbionts associated with the insects provide several benefits to their host. Since such endosymbionts play a vital role even in the physiology of their host, revealing the types of bacteria associated with mealy bug will give basic information, which may throw light on the management of this noxious pest. The present study is the first to identify bacterial endosymbionts associated with R. amorphophalli employing phenotypic characterization and 16S rDNA sequencing. Three culturable bacteria, namely, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus gallinarum, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, were isolated from R. amorphophalli. Moreover, the antibiotic susceptibility tests against the isolated bacteria showed that all the isolates were susceptible to the three antibiotics tested, except cephalexin. Recently, endosymbionts are used as effective biocontrol agents (BCAs) and the present study will stand as a connecting link in identification and effective utilization of these endosymbionts as BCAs for management of R. amorphophalli.

Characterization of the bacterial communities of psyllids associated with Rutaceae in Bhutan by high throughput sequencing

“…OTUs showing 100% identity with members of the Staphylococcus were found in the unidentified Cacopsylla sp. Staphylococci are commonly found in the microbiomes of insects [94] and have been shown to affect insect behaviour. For example, the velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) uses gut bacteria including staphylococci to overcome the activity of protease produced by its host plant [95] and the honey dew of Acyrthosiphon pisum contains a kairomone produced by Staphylococcus sciuri Kloos et al (Bacillales: Staphylococcaceae) attracting ovipositing female hover flies (Syrphidae [96]).…”

Bacteria belonging to the genus Burkholderia are obligatory symbionts of the eriococcids Acanthococcus aceris Signoret, 1875 and Gossyparia spuria (Modeer, 1778) (Insecta, Hemiptera, Coccoidea)

“…Besides the above obligate uncultivated bacteria, scale insects may be also associated with cultivable bacteria like Bacilius subtilis, Staphylococcus gallinarum and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Massila sp., Herbaspirillum sp., Actinobacter sp. and others (Ramírez-Puebla et al, 2010;Sreerag et al, 2014). According to Koteja (1985), such a wide diversity of symbionts may reflect the fact that the ancestors of extant scale insects and free living bacteria were in permanent contacts in the primary habitat of these insects, i.e.…”

Isolation, identification and characterization of biotechnologically important bacteria from microflora of Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

“…Based on the conventional tests, the API 20E, API 50CH, API STAPH, the morphological and biochemical characteristic and the partial 16S rRNA sequence analysis, this isolate was identified as Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Isolate Dk1 has been previously isolated from red imported fire ant larvae, Solenopsis invicta, and mealy bug, Rhizoecus amorphophalli [11,12].…”