Pathogenicity of additional strains of Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus (Enterobacteriaceae) to the mushroom mite Luciaphorus perniciosus (Acari: Pygmephoridae)

Abstract

The pathogenicity of six strains of the entomopathogenic bacteria Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus, symbiotically associated with the entomopathogenic nematodes Heterorhabditis and Steinernema, respectively, to the mushroom mite, Luciaphorus perniciosus was studied. Bacterial cultures of the Thai strain Xenorhabdus nematophila (X1) and the imported strain Photorhabdus luminescens (P1), containing 1ϫ10 8 cells/ml, showed the highest virulence to the female mite, resulting in 85 and 83% mortality within 3 days after application, respectively. The fecundity of the surviving L. perniciosus was also significantly reduced by the X. nematophila (X1) strain. These results demonstrate the potential of X. nematophila (X1) to control the mushroom mite.

Acaricidal activities of whole cell suspension, cell-free supernatant, and crude cell extract of Xenorhabdus stokiae against mushroom mite (Luciaphorus sp.)

“…Lentinus squarrosulus, obtained from the Mushroom Researchers and Growers Society of Thailand, was grown on a mixture of sawdust and sorghum grain to establish a fresh spawn (Bussaman et al, 2009). Mushroom mycelia were then inoculated to potato dextrose agar (PDA, Sigma-Aldrich, USA) plates and incubated at 25 °C in the dark for further experiments.…”

“…Acaricidal activities of X. stokiae isolate PB09 were investigated using 50-mm plastic Petri-dish plates containing L. squarrosulus mycelia grown on PDA, as previously described by Bussaman et al (2009). One hundred adult Luciaphorus female mites (1 d old) were transferred to each of these 50-mm plastic Petri-dish plates.…”

“…Wettst., and Flammulina velutipes Karst. (Bussaman et al, 2004). The use of insecticides, such as carbamates and organophosphates, to control this mushroom mite has had little success, and growers can only manage this pest by maintaining the recommended routine horticultural hygiene procedures (Bussaman et al, 2009).…”

Damage potential of Tyrophagus putrescentiae Schrank (Acari: Acaridae) in mushrooms

“…(Acari: Pygmephoridae) is considered as one of the most destructive pests of mushroom cultivation in Thailand. This pygmephorid mite is responsible for the severe production losses of [47].…”

“…In mushroom beds, various kinds of food can be found, such as nematodes, saprophagous and mycophagous mites, springtails, and dipteran larvae of the families, Sciaridae, Phoridae and Cecidomyiidae [35,47,81]. …”