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Pathogenicity of Saudi Arabian fungal isolates against egg and larval stages of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus under laboratory conditions

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Abstract

The pathogenicity of various local entomopathogenic fungal isolates from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been tested in the laboratory against the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Fungi were coded, isolated, and purified. Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin, coded as: BbSA-1 PDA-15 and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin, coded as: MaSA-1 PDA-15, isolates demonstrated significant potential against R. ferrugineus larvae. A 1 × 1010 conidia/mL concentration of positive fungal isolates along with natural B. bassiana was used against different stages of R. ferrugineus. Rhynchophorus ferrugineus larvae were supplied with synthetic diets that contain preservatives and non-preservatives. The fungal isolates BbSA-1 PDA-15 and MaSA-1 PDA-15 affected the egg hatchability and caused significant larval mortality of red palm weevil. It was shown that MaSA-1 PDA-15 is one of the most pathogenic fungi against R. ferrugineus larvae followed by BbSA-1 PDA-15 and Natural B. bassiana isolates. Therefore, these local fungal isolates have the potential to be used against R. ferrugineus. Further development in the research could facilitate the farmers to save their valuable palm trees from the notorious pest.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express sincere thanks to Koko Dwi Sutanto, Research Assistant, Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and to Nourah Abdulaziz Alaqeel, Research Assistant, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for their support in the practical part of this project. This Research was Funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research of Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University, through the Research Funding Prpgram (210-38-S).

Funding

This Research was Funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research of Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University, through the Research Funding Prpgram (210-38-S).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, 11474, Saudi Arabia

    Lamya Ahmed Al-Keridis & Nevien M. Gaber

  2. Agricultural Research Center, Plant Protection Research Institute, Dokki, Giza, 12311, Egypt

    Nevien M. Gaber

  3. Economic Entomology Research Unit, Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Abdulrahman Saad Aldawood

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  1. Lamya Ahmed Al-Keridis
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  2. Nevien M. Gaber
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  3. Abdulrahman Saad Aldawood
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Correspondence to Abdulrahman Saad Aldawood.

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The Rhynchophorus ferrugineus and fungal isolates were collected from date palm orchards from Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia. Their culture was maintained at the Economic Entomology Research Unit (EERU), Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We approve that none of the R. ferrugineus and fungal isolates were collected from the public parks or protected areas. Moreover, these are not an endangered species.

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Al-Keridis, L.A., Gaber, N.M. & Aldawood, A.S. Pathogenicity of Saudi Arabian fungal isolates against egg and larval stages of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus under laboratory conditions. Int J Trop Insect Sci 40, 845–853 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-020-00141-8

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