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Thermal limitations of Metarhizium anisopliae efficacy: selection for application on warm-blooded vertebrates

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Abstract

Temperature is one of the main obstacles for on-host applications of entomopathogenic fungi for ectoparasite control. The effects of temperatures typical of the body surfaces of warm-blooded animals on the germination, growth and virulence of four strains of Metarhizium anisopliae toward engorged Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus females were evaluated. The M. anisopliae strains studied can be divided according to their thermal characteristics: (1) strains which germinate (90–100%), grow and infect ticks similarly at 25, 30 and 35°C; and (2) strains which recover their ability to germinate relatively quickly following a thermal shock (37 or 40°C for 6–48 h) before incubation at a favorable temperature. These latter strains could recover their infectivity after a short thermal shock (6 h at 37–40°C), but not after more prolonged exposure to these temperatures (48–72 h). These two thermal characteristics do not interact, but reflect the efficacy of strains used to control ectoparasites on warm-blooded vertebrates.

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Acknowledgment

This research was partially supported by the Deutche Forchungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Germany, Trilateral Cooperation Program, grant No. PO 207/34-1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Volcani Center, ARO, P.O. Box 6, Bet-Dagan, 50250, Israel

    Dana Ment, Galina Gindin & Itamar Glazer

  2. UNESCO, Biotechnology Centre (BETCEN), Bethlehem University, Bethlehem, P.O. Box 9, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Israel

    Naim Iraki & Rula Abu-Jreis

  3. The Kimron Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 12, Bet-Dagan, 50250, Israel

    Asael Rot & Michael Samish

  4. The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot, 76100, Israel

    Dana Ment

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  1. Dana Ment
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  2. Naim Iraki
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  3. Galina Gindin
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  4. Asael Rot
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  5. Itamar Glazer
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  6. Rula Abu-Jreis
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  7. Michael Samish
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Correspondence to Dana Ment.

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Handling Editor: Martin Erlandson.

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Ment, D., Iraki, N., Gindin, G. et al. Thermal limitations of Metarhizium anisopliae efficacy: selection for application on warm-blooded vertebrates. BioControl 56, 81–89 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-010-9329-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-010-9329-3

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