Use of entomopathogenic fungi for the control of stored-product insects: can fungi protect durable commodities?

Rumbos, Christos I.; Athanassiou, Christos G.

doi:10.1007/s10340-017-0849-9

Cited by 62 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 108 publications

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“…2.1 & 2.2). Despite these fungal species not providing the complete diet that we expected (relative to that of wheat flour and yeast), tests to determine the effects of the fungal volatiles on both the adult and larval beetles revealed that none of the fungal isolates resulted in significant levels of mortality, so these fungal isolates do not seem to produce mycotoxins that kill beetles, as seen in previous studies (Rumbos & Athanassiou 2017 Our results also show that the developmental success of T. castaneum into adulthood, on wheat grains ( Fig. 2.1), is similar to that recorded in previous studies, where only low levels (~10%) of developmental success were recorded when the insects were reared on marginally damaged wheat grains (White, 1982).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

The role of fungi and their associated volatiles in the ecology of Tribolium castaneum

McFarlane¹

2016

2016 International Congress of Entomology

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Tribolium castaneum, also known as the rust-red flour beetle, infests and consumes a variety of bulk stored food products and is a major pest of bulk stored grains globally.However, T. castaneum adults have been shown to infest stored cotton seeds heavily in Queensland, Australia, despite the absence of stored grain products nearby. Previous studies suggest that the beetles are attracted to the fungal colonies growing on the fibre that remains on the delinted seeds, but their relationship with these fungi has not been clarified. Moreover, little is known about the interactions of T. castaneum with particular species of fungi. That is, the associations between particular micro-fungi and T. castaneum may well be important factors in determining crucial aspects of the ecology of T. castaneum, both within and outside of stored grain systems. Further impetus for this study comes from the lack of clarity about the origins of T. castaneum before the advent of bulk stored grains, as their diet may have included particular fungal species (at least according to some authors).To investigate the associations between T. castaneum and micro-fungal species I conducted a number of laboratory and field experiments. These experiments included the identification of the fungal species I isolated from stored cotton seeds and wheat collected in South East Queensland. The feeding preferences of the adult beetles were determined using no-choice feeding tests for each of the fungal species. Further, the developmental success of the larvae was quantified on cotton seeds infested by one each of the fungal species identified. Gut analyses of T. castaneum adults, exposed to no-choice feeding tests, showed that the beetles will feed on all 14 fungal species when exposed to cotton seeds that had been inoculated with each of the fungal species, over 14 days. The developmental success of the larvae varied depending on the fungal species, with most fungal species supporting only low levels of successful developmental to adulthood (<30% relative to the standard culture diet of wheat flour and yeast). Volatile toxicity tests also revealed that neither adult or larval mortality was significantly affected by the presence of the identified fungal isolates. These results indicate that T. castaneum will feed on a variety of fungal species but that none of the tested fungal species on its own provides a good diet for T. castaneum. 3 Choice tests were conducted under laboratory conditions in a y-tube olfactometer and in wind tunnel assays to determine if any of the identified fungal species were attractive and/or repellent to the adult beetles. The olfactometer experiments revealed that the insects are attracted to the volatiles associated with Aspergillus tamarii and that they are repelled by those of Asp. ochraceus, Epicoccum nigrum and Penicillium citrinum. The wind tunnel assays returned significantly different results with the insects being repelled by Asp. tubingensis, and with no fungi attracting the beetles. Additional tests were also used to d...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

The role of fungi and their associated volatiles in the ecology of Tribolium castaneum

McFarlane¹

2016

2016 International Congress of Entomology

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“…Temperature plays a significant role for the effectiveness of EPFs. It is widely accepted that high temperatures affect negatively the conidial viability and germination (Rumbos and Athanassiou 2017). Generally, different fungal species have different temperature requirements.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fungal entomopathogens such as Beauveria bassiana, B. brongniartii, Isaria farinosa, I. fumosorosea, Lecanicillium spp., and Metarhizium anisopliae play an important role in the regulation of insect populations (Zimmermann 2008;Gurulingappa et al 2011). Also, since they exist in nature, EPFs have low environmental impact and are generally considered environmentally safe agents with low mammalian toxicity (Rumbos and Athanassiou 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The using of EPFs for the control of the insect pests in stored-grain products is one of the most promising alternative control methods (Moore et al 2000). Especially, the species B. bassiana and M. anisopliae have a wide host range and have been tested against most of the major stored-grain pests (Batta 2018;Rumbos and Athanassiou 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Temperature plays a significant role on the effectiveness of EFPs, especially high temperatures affect negatively conidial viability and germination (Rumbos and Athanassiou 2017). For example, B. bassiana was found to be more effective against R. dominica, S. oryzae at 26°C than at 30°C (Vassilakos et al, 2006), and S. granarius in stored wheat.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Efficacy of entomopathogenic fungi against the stored-grain pests, Sitophilus granarius L. and S. oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

2019

Egypt J Biol Pest Control

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Efficacy of the five native entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs), Beauveria bassiana, Isaria fumosorosea, Lecanicillium muscarium, Metarhizium anisopliae, and Simplicillium lamellicola, against adults of the stored-grain insect pests, Sitophilus granarius and Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was evaluated under laboratory conditions at two different temperatures. Conidial suspensions (1 × 10 8 conidia ml −1 ) of the fungi were directly applied to both the pests in Petri dishes (2 ml per dish), using a Potter spray tower. All the dishes were incubated both at 20 and 25°C in 16 h light/8 h dark and in 75 ± 5% relative humidity (RH). Dead individuals were counted daily, following treatments, for 7 days. Lethal time values (LT 50 and LT 90 ) for EPFs were calculated. The results demonstrated that the mortality rates varied according to both the temperature and the tested EPFs. The highest effect among EPFs at (1 × 10 8 conidia ml −1 ) concentration on S. granarius at 20°C at the end of day 7 was showed by I. fumosorosea (92.69%) and M. anisopliae (90.35%), followed by the other EPFs. Similarly, M. anisopliae and I. fumosorosea were the most effective ones with 90.48 and 84.21% mortality rates, respectively, at 25°C. However, while M. anisopliae (85.68%) showed the highest effect among all the EPFs applied on S. oryzae at 20°C, B. bassiana with a mortality rate of 93.66% was the most effective one at 25°C. LT 50 values for I. fumosorosea and M. anisopliae were 2.75 and 2.88/days, respectively, and LT 90 values were 4.17 and 4.47/ days, respectively, at 20°C for S. oryzae. However, LT 50 values for M. anisopliae on S. granarius in both temperatures were the lowest. This study indicated that M. anisopliae and I. fumosorosea had a significant potential as a biological control agent against S. granarius and S. oryzae. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of the isolate on the pests under storage conditions.

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Towards developing areawide semiochemical‐mediated, behaviorally‐based integrated pest management programs for stored product insects

Morrison

Scully

Campbell

2021

Pest Management Science

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With less emphasis on fumigation after harvest, due to the phase‐out of methyl bromide and increasing phosphine resistance, diversified postharvest integrated pest management (IPM) programs are needed. Here, we synthesize knowledge on semiochemical‐mediated, behaviorally‐based tactics, wherein semiochemicals are deployed to manipulate pest behavior to protect commodities. We note that beyond monitoring, commercial use is limited to mating disruption targeting mostly moths. In total, behaviorally‐based tactics have been attempted for eight species of stored product insects from two orders and six families. Eighteen challenges were identified that may have prevented robust implementation of semiochemicals for behaviorally‐based management in stored products, including direct competition with ubiquitous food cues, and the diverse insect assemblages that colonize food facilities. Further, we discuss the scientific data and methods required to support stakeholder acceptance of semiochemicals at food facilities, including demonstrating that pests are not attracted from the landscape and minimal spillover around pheromones. We sketch a robust areawide behaviorally‐based IPM program after harvest, and clarify properties for improving semiochemicals, including incorporating those that are broad spectrum, competitive with food cues, potent at low concentration, and exhibit dose‐dependent attraction. The research gaps and testable hypotheses described here will speed developing behaviorally‐based tactics at food facilities. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry

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Use of entomopathogenic fungi for the control of stored-product insects: can fungi protect durable commodities?

Cited by 62 publications

References 108 publications

The role of fungi and their associated volatiles in the ecology of Tribolium castaneum

The role of fungi and their associated volatiles in the ecology of Tribolium castaneum

Efficacy of entomopathogenic fungi against the stored-grain pests, Sitophilus granarius L. and S. oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Towards developing areawide semiochemical‐mediated, behaviorally‐based integrated pest management programs for stored product insects

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