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Bermudagrass plants endophytically colonized with Metarhizium anisopliae isolates reduces the biological performance of fall armyworm

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Abstract

The knowledge of the interactions between endophytic entomopathogenic fungi and forage plants and their influence on Spodoptera frugiperda, an emerging pest of pastoral systems, is important to elucidate the multifunctionality of these microorganisms and their benefits to agroecosystems. This study investigated the influence of endophytic colonization with different isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae on Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers (Poaceae) cv. Tifton 85 on biological and behavioral aspects of S. frugiperda. The application of a suspension of isolates (1 × 108 conidia ml−1) to the base (soil drench) of C. dactylon seedlings was effective to promote endophytic colonization. Spodoptera frugiperda caterpillars fed throughout their larval stage with leaves of plants colonized endophytically by the three isolates studied (CEPAF_ENT 25, CEPAF_ENT 27, and IBCB 425) of M. anisopliae showed considerable reduction in their biological performance, especially in parameters of their fertility life table. However, the tested isolates did not show pronounced effects on feeding and oviposition preference, although there was a trend of preference of caterpillars and moths for colonized plants, especially in no-choice tests. Thus, applications of mycoinsecticides based on M. anisopliae for the management of the spittlebug complex (its main use currently) may lead to the endophytic colonization of C. dactylon cv. Tifton 85 and influence S. frugiperda population density as well as the impact this pest causes to pastures. The isolates used in this study exhibit multiple spectrums of action and potential to produce new biological products for the market.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Carmen Cella dos Santos, Marcelo Rigo, Neusa Teresinha Maciel, Elisandro Almeida, and Zelinda Meneguzzi (all from Epagri/Cepaf) for the technical support offered.

Funding

This study was supported by the Brazilian National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq, Process numbers 305377/2019-1, 304018/2019-8 and 310385/2022-9) for the financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

    Dylan Thomas Telles Amandio & Alex Sandro Poltronieri

  2. Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Daniel Bernardi

  3. Research Center for Family Agriculture, Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company of Santa Catarina (CEPAF/EPAGRI), Rua Ferdinando Ricieri Tusset S/N, Bairro São Cristóvão, Caixa Postal 791, Chapecó, Santa Catarina, 89801-970, Brazil

    Leandro do Prado Ribeiro

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  1. Dylan Thomas Telles Amandio
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LPR conceived the study; DTTA conducted the experiments; LPR, ASP and DB analyzed the data; DTTA and LPR write the draft manuscript and all authors contributed to improving and reviewing the paper. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Leandro do Prado Ribeiro.

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Amandio, D.T.T., Bernardi, D., Poltronieri, A.S. et al. Bermudagrass plants endophytically colonized with Metarhizium anisopliae isolates reduces the biological performance of fall armyworm. Symbiosis 92, 63–73 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-023-00958-0

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