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Characterization and virulence of Lecanicillium lecanii against different aphid species

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Abstract

Seven isolates of Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimmermann) Zare & Gams isolated in Spain from infected aphids were characterized using sequences of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions and also based on morphological and physiological characteristics. Four of these seven L. lecanii isolates were selected to assess their virulence against nymphs of Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley), Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas) and Aphis gossypii Glover. Mortality (%), lethal concentration 50 (LC50) and lethal time 50 (TC50) were calculated. The analysis of the sequences of ITS region confirmed that the new isolates were clearly Lecanicillium lecanii. The set of isolates had similar radial growth (51.5–54.0 mm), except for ICAL1 (39 mm). The germination time 50 (GT50) varied between 10.7 h (ICAL3) and 13 h (ICAL5). The isolate ICAL6 showed the highest value for conidial production (3.4 × 108 con ml−1) and also produced the highest mortality for M. persicae (95%) and was more virulent than the commercial product Vertalec® (91.6%).

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to Laura Barrios for statistical assistance, Francisco Arenal for identification assistance and to María del Mar de la Torre, María Plaza and Marina López for technical assistance. We are grateful to Koppert Biological Systems for providing us with Vertalec®. This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education (Research Grants AGL-2005-01449/AGR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias. Centro de Ciencias Medioambientales (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), C/Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006, Madrid, Spain

    Beatriz M. Diaz, Monike Oggerin, Victor Rubio & Alberto Fereres

  2. CEPAVE (Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores) UNLP-CONICET, Calle 2 No 584, La Plata, 1900, Argentina

    Claudia C. López Lastra

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  1. Beatriz M. Diaz
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  2. Monike Oggerin
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  3. Claudia C. López Lastra
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  4. Victor Rubio
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  5. Alberto Fereres
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Correspondence to Beatriz M. Diaz.

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Handling editor: Helen Roy.

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Diaz, B.M., Oggerin, M., Lastra, C.C.L. et al. Characterization and virulence of Lecanicillium lecanii against different aphid species. BioControl 54, 825–835 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9218-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9218-9

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