Paecilomyces niveus Stolk & Samson, 1971 (Ascomycota: Thermoascaceae) as a pathogen of Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley, 1841) (Hemiptera, Aphididae) in Brazil

Abstract

Nasonovia ribisnigri is a key pest of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in Brazil that requires alternative control methods to synthetic pesticides. We report, for the first time, the occurrence of Paecilomyces niveus as an entomopathogen of the aphid Nasonovia ribisnigri in Pinhais, Paraná, Brazil. Samples of mummified aphids were collected from lettuce crops. The fungus P. niveus (PaePR) was isolated from the insect bodies and identified by macro and micromorphology. The species was confirmed by sequencing Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) rDNA. We obtained a sequence of 528 bp (accession number HQ441751), which aligned with Byssochlamys nivea strains (100% identities). In a bioassay, 120 h after inoculation of N. ribisnigri with pathogenic P. niveus had an average mortality of 74%. The presence of P. niveus as a natural pathogen of N. ribisnigri in Brazil suggests that it may be possible to employ P. niveus to minimize the use of chemical insecticides.Keywords: Lactuca sativa, Aphididae, entomopathogenic fungi, biological control. Registro de Paecilomyces niveus

Towards incorporating asexual fungi in a natural classification: checklist and notes 2012–2016

“…Maharachchikumbura et al (2015) agreed with this familial placement. Zawadneak et al (2015) confirmed the placement of this genus in Thermoascaceae. Crous et al (2013a) …”

Potential of endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents of Duponchelia fovealis (Zeller) (Lepidoptera:Crambidae)

“…P. lilacinus is widely used in the biological control of diseases in plants cultivated under field conditions (Veja et al, 2008). Other studies performed with this species reported mortality in nymphs of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) (Fiedler and Sosnowska, 2007) and showed a potential in the control of Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley, 1841) (Hemiptera, Aphididae) a pest of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in Brazil (Zawadneak et., al. 2015b) and its applicability in the control of nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne sp.…”

“…and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (Jones, 1994;Leckie, 2002;Ownley et al, 2004;Posada and Vega, 2005;Quesada-Moraga et al, 2006;Akello et al, 2007;Zawadneak et al, 2015b;Parsa et al, 2016).…”

Newly Isolated Paecilomyces lilacinus and Paecilomyces javanicus as Novel Biocontrol Agents for Plutella xylostella and Spodoptera litura

“…Isarioidea contains mesophiles, including several well-known entomopathogenic or nematophagous species, such as Paecilomyces lilacinus and P. javanicus (Samson, 1974;Kepenekci et al, 2015). Paecilomyces lilacinus is a soil fungus and has been used as an efficient and common nematicide (Kiewnick and Sikora, 2006;Siddiqui and Futai, 2009;Kepenekci et al, 2015), and also as a controller of greenhouse insects and mite pests (Fiedler and Sosnowska, 2007;Wraigt et al, 2000;Zawadneak et al, 2015). To date, no comparison of the efficacy of different P. lilacinus and P. javanicus isolates against diamondback moth (Pl.…”