Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Impact of fungicides on Metarhizium anisopliae in the rhizosphere, bulk soil and in vitro

  • Published:
BioControl Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) is registered in the United States and The Netherlands for black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) control in container-grown ornamentals. These studies were conducted to determine the compatibility of M. anisopliae (F52) with a wide range of fungicides commonly applied to container-grown ornamentals for the management of soil-borne plant pathogens. The impact of fungicides on spore germination and mycelial growth were determined in vitro. In addition, M. anisopliae persistence in bulk and rhizosphere soil was determined 30 days following dual application of each fungicide at 7–28 days intervals as prescribed. A number of fungicides (thiophanate-methyl, dimethomorph, captan, triflumizole, triflozystrobin, pyraclostrobin, azoxystrobin) inhibited spore germination in vitro. A larger number of fungicides (fosetyl-AI, thiophanate-methyl, dimethomorph, captan, quintozene, triflumizole, fludioxanil, triflozystrobin, pyraclostrobin, fludiox-mefanox, iprodione, azoxystrobin, phosphorus acid/K-salts) inhibited mycelial growth in vitro. Only three fungicides (etridiazole, propamocard and mafanoxam) had no significant impact in vitro on spore germination or mycelial growth. While a number of fungicides had a detrimental impact in vitro, there was no impact on M. anisopliae populations in bulk soil following dual application of any fungicide. However, the fungicides captan and triflumizolet, which have a short reapplication interval, had a detrimental impact on M. anisopliae populations in the rhizosphere. As researchers develop rhizosphere competence as an alternative management strategy for black vine weevil, the fungicides captan and triflumizole should be avoided.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson TE, Roberts DW (1983) Compatibility of Beauveria bassiana isolates with insecticide formulations used in Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) control. J Econ Entomol 76:1437–1441

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baker R (1991) Induction of rhizosphere competence in the biological control fungus Trichoderma. In: Keister DL, Cregan PB (eds) The rhizosphere and plant growth. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 221–228

    Google Scholar 

  • Batista Filho A, Almeida JEM, Lamas C (2001) Effect of thiamethoxam on entomopathogenic microorganisms. Neotrop Entomol 30:437–447

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Booth SR, Shanks CH Jr (1998) Potential of a dried rice/mycelium formulation of entomopathogenic fungi to suppress subterranean pests in small fruits. Biocontrol Sci Technol 8:197–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bruck DJ (2004) Natural occurrence of entomopathogens in pacific northwest nursery soils and their virulence to the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Environ Entomol 33:1335–1343

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruck DJ (2005) Ecology of Metarhizium anisopliae in soilless potting media and the rhizosphere: implications for pest management. Biol Control 32:155–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bruck DJ (2006) Effect of potting media components on the infectivity of Metarhizium anisopliae against the black vine weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). J Environ Hort 24:91–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruck DJ (2007) Efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae as a curative application for black vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) infesting container-grown nursery crops. J Environ Hort 25:150–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruck DJ, Donahue KM (2007) Persistence of Metarhizium anisopliae incorporated into soilless potting media for control of the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus in container-grown ornamentals. J Invertebr Pathol 95:146–150

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chandler D, Davidson G (2005) Evaluation of entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae against soil-dwelling stages of cabbage maggot (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) in glasshouse and field experiments and effect of fungicides on fungal activity. J Econ Entomol 98:1856–1862

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dart NL, Chastagner GA, Rugarber EF, Riley KL (2007) Recovery frequency of Phytophthora ramorum and other Phytophthora spp. in the soil profile of ornamental retail nurseries. Plant Dis 91:1419–1422

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Er MK, Gökçe A (2004) Effects of selected pesticides used against glasshouse tomato pests on colony growth and conidial germination of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus. Biol Control 31:398–404

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hall RA (1981) Laboratory studies on the effects of fungicides, acaricides and insecticides on the entomopathogenic fungus, Verticillium lecanii. Entomo Exp Appl 29:39–48

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen EM, Parke JL, Sutton W (2005) Susceptibility of Oregon forest trees and shrubs to Phytophthora ramorum: a comparison of artificial inoculation and natural infections. Plant Dis 89:63–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu G, St. Leger R (2002) Field studies using a recombinant mycoinsecticide (Metarhizium anisopliae) reveal that it is rhizosphere competent. Appl Environ Microbiol 68:6383–6387

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klingen I, Haukeland S (2006) The soil as a reservoir for natural enemies of pest insects and mites with emphasis on fungi and nematodes. In: Eilenberg J, Hokkanen HMT (eds) An ecological and societal approach to biological control. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 145–211

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Klingen I, Westrum K (2007) The effects of pesticides used in strawberries on the phytophagous mite Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and its fungal natural enemy Neozygites floridana (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales). Biol Control 43:222–230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klingen I, Hajek A, Meadow R, Renwick JAA (2002) Effect of brassicaceous plants on the survival and infectivity of insect pathogenic fungi. Bio Control 47:411–425

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • La Lone RS, Clarke RG (1981) Larval development of Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and effects of larval density on larval mortality and injury to rhododendron. Environ Entomol 10:190–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Li DP, Holdom DG (1994) Effects of pesticides on growth and sporulation of Metarhizium anisopliae (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes). J Invertbr Pathol 63:209–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Little TM, Hills FJ (1978) Agricultural experimentation: design and analysis. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Loria R, Galaini S, Roberts DW (1983) Survival of inoculum of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana as influenced by fungicides. Environ Entomol 12:1724–1726

    Google Scholar 

  • Luz C, Netto MCB, Rocha LFN (2007) In vitro susceptibility to fungicides by invertebrate-pathogenic and saprobic fungi. Mycopathologia 164:39–47

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mochi DA, Monteiro AC, Barbosa JC (2005) Action of pesticides to Metarhizium anisopliae in soil. Neotrop Entomol 34:961–971

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mochi DA, Monteiro AC, De Bortoli SA, Dória HOS, Barbosa JC (2006) Pathogenicity of Metarhizium anisopliae for Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in soil with different pesticides. Neotrop Entomol 35:382–389

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moorhouse ER, Charnely AK, Gillespie AT (1992) Review of the biology and control of the vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Ann Appl Biol 121:431–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moorhouse ER, Easterbrook MA, Gillespie AT, Charnley AK (1993a) Control of Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) larvae on a range of hardy ornamental nursery stock species using the entomogenous fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. Biocontrol Sci Technol 1:63–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moorhouse ER, Gillespie AT, Charnley AK (1993b) Application of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sor. conidia to control Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) larvae on glasshouse pot plants. Ann Appl Biol 122:623–636

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson EB, Burpee LL, Lawton MB (1994) Biological control of turfgrass diseases. In: Leslie A (ed) Handbook of integrated pest management for turf, ornamentals. CRC Press, USA, pp 409–427

    Google Scholar 

  • Olmert I, Kenneth RG (1974) Sensitivity of the entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana, Verticillium lecanii and Verticillium sp. to fungicides and insecticides. Environ Entomol 3:33–38

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poprawski TJ, Marchal M, Robert P-H (1985) Comparative susceptibility of Otiorhynchus sulcatus and Sitona lineatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) early stages to five entomopathogenic Hyphomycetes. Environ Entomol 14:247–253

    Google Scholar 

  • Samson PR, Milner RJ, Sander ED, Bullard GK (2005) Effect of fungicides and insecticides applied during planting of sugarcane on viability of Metarhizium anisopliae and its efficacy against white grubs. BioControl 50:151–163

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (1999) The SAS statistical system, version 8. SAS Institute, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Shishkoff N (2007) Persistence of Phytophthora ramorum in soil mix and roots of nursery ornamentals. Plant Dis 91:1245–1249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith FF (1932) Biology and control of the black vine weevil. USDA Technical Bulletin 325, pp 1–45

  • Snedecor GW, Cochran WG (1989) Statistical methods, 8th edn. Iowa State University Press, Ames

    Google Scholar 

  • Todorova SI, Coderre D, Duchesne RM, Côté JC (1998) Compatibility of Beauveria bassiana with selected fungicides and herbicides. Environ Entomol 27:427–433

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Veen KH, Ferron P (1966) A selective medium for the isolation of Beauveria tenella and of Metarhizium anisopliae. J Invertebr Pathol 8:268–269

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wei L, Xiu-Fang W, Cheng-Fa S (2004) Impact of sixteen chemical pesticides on conidial germination of two entomophthoralean fungi: Conidiobolus thromboides and Pandora nouryi. Biocontrol Sci Technol 14:737–741

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Molly Albrecht and Kelly Donahue for their technical assistance in performing these experiments. This work was supported solely by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Pacific West Area, Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory, Corvallis, Oregon, CRIS # 5358-22000-032-00D. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA-ARS, Horticultural Crops Research Unit, 3420 N.W. Orchard Avenue, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA

    Denny J. Bruck

Authors
  1. Denny J. Bruck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Denny J. Bruck.

Additional information

Handling Editor: Monica Höfte.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bruck, D.J. Impact of fungicides on Metarhizium anisopliae in the rhizosphere, bulk soil and in vitro. BioControl 54, 597–606 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9213-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9213-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation