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Metarhizium sp. isolated from dead Pachnoda interrupta (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) as a potential entomopathogenic fungus for the pest insect: proof-of-concept for autodissemination

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Abstract

Sustainable pest management requires the use of ecosystem-friendly control options (e.g. entomopathogens) coupled with target-specific application methods. Here we investigate the susceptibility of the sorghum chafer (Pachnoda interrupta, Olivier) to Metarhizium sp., isolated from dead P. interrupta under field conditions over several years. Target-specific trapping was achieved using Japanese beetle traps or locally made autoinoculation devices, with methyl salicylate or banana as an attractant. Of the attracted and infected beetles, 49% mortality was achieved during October 2005 and 71% during July 2006, while the corresponding mortality in control treatments was 13 and 5%, respectively. We further confirmed that the mortality of the beetles was due to the fungal treatment as 50 and 80% of the dead beetles showed mycosis, respectively. The performance of the pathogen was also investigated in an autodissemination device in 2008 and 2009, where the beetles that were attracted passed through an inoculation chamber. Of the attracted and infected beetles in the autodissemination device, 58.5% (October) and 90.9% (July) were dead within 15 days after treatment. Control mortality was only 3 and 2%, respectively. The potential for horizontal transmission was investigated, where 47% (October) and 59% (July) of the beetles exposed to the pathogen through horizontal transmission were killed. The pathogen was found to be viable for more than 3 days in the field. Our results show that Metarhizium sp. has potential as a biological control agent, and for achieving autodissemination using the target pest as the vector.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Merid N. Getahun, Tibebe D. Biasazin & Emiru Seyoum

  2. Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knöll Strasse 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany

    Merid N. Getahun

  3. Division of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 102, SE-23053, Alnarp, Sweden

    Tibebe D. Biasazin & Ylva Hillbur

  4. Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, PO Box 16417, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Yitbarek Wolde-Hawariat

  5. Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden

    Jonas M. Bengtsson

  6. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Ylva Hillbur

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  1. Merid N. Getahun
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  2. Tibebe D. Biasazin
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  6. Emiru Seyoum
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Correspondence to Merid N. Getahun.

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Getahun, M.N., Biasazin, T.D., Wolde-Hawariat, Y. et al. Metarhizium sp. isolated from dead Pachnoda interrupta (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) as a potential entomopathogenic fungus for the pest insect: proof-of-concept for autodissemination. Int J Trop Insect Sci 36, 1–9 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758415000235

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