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Effects of insect activity, soil, and cuticular factors on virulence of Beauveria bassiana toward Blissus leucopterus hirtus

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Abstract

The fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) is a potential biological control agent of hairy chinch bug, Blissus leucopterus hirtus Montandon (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), but its virulence against this important turf grass pest is limited. To gain insight into why high numbers of conidia are needed for rapid kill, conidial persistence on insects was monitored under several experimental conditions. One day after exposure to a concentrated B. bassiana suspension, most conidia were removed from insects, particularly at warmer temperatures. Removal was higher when soil was present, suggesting that the insects may have transferred the conidia to soil. Most conidia on insects lost viability within 2 days. In contrast, conidia stored in soil under the same conditions as the insects remained viable. Earlier instar nymphs were more susceptible to lethal fungal infection than were adults. Materials recovered from a hexane rinse of adult insects inhibited conidial germination. These results have implications for applied aspects of chinch bug biological control with B. bassiana.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Julie Derrick for technical assistance, Tharcisse Barasubiye (National Fungal Identification Service, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa) for confirming identification of the fungal isolate, and Garth Nickerson, Jack Wetmore, and Neil Pond for helpful discussion. Project funding was from the New Brunswick Horticultural Trades Association, the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture RIP program, and the Canada National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maritime MicroBiologicals Inc., 24 Parker St., Truro, NS, B2N 3R1, Canada

    David Boyle

  2. Department of Environmental Sciences, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Truro, NS, B2N 5E3, Canada

    G. Christopher Cutler

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  1. David Boyle
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  2. G. Christopher Cutler
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Correspondence to David Boyle.

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Communicated by M. Traugott.

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Boyle, D., Christopher Cutler, G. Effects of insect activity, soil, and cuticular factors on virulence of Beauveria bassiana toward Blissus leucopterus hirtus . J Pest Sci 85, 505–512 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-012-0453-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-012-0453-y

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