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Effects of three endophytic entomopathogens on sweet sorghum and on the larvae of the stalk borer S esamia nonagrioides
Author(s) -
Mantzoukas Spiridon,
Chondrogiannis Christos,
Grammatikopoulos George
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/eea.12262
Subject(s) - biology , beauveria bassiana , sorghum , bassiana , instar , sweet sorghum , crop , horticulture , endophyte , botany , larva , pest analysis , agronomy , biological pest control
Various endophytic fungi of native plants and crops are important entomopathogens. The objective of this study was to investigate the entomopathogenic action of B eauveria bassiana ( B alsamo) V uillemin, M etarhizium robertsii ( M etchnikoff) S orokin, and I saria fumosorosea ( W ize) B rown & S mith (all A scomycota: H ypocreales) against larvae of S esamia nonagrioides ( L efebvre) ( L epidoptera: N octuidae) artificially introduced into S orghum bicolor L . ( M oench) ( P oaceae) plants under natural environmental conditions. S orghum bicolor is an economically important crop cultivated for grain, fiber, forage, and lately for biofuel, and S . nonagrioides is its main pest in M editerranean areas. Young sorghum plants were inoculated with the entomopathogens by spraying in the field. Plant water status, chlorophyll concentration, photosynthesis, and transpiration were not affected. Thirty days after endophyte establishment, plants were infested with fourth instars of S . nonagrioides . The endophytes prevented 50–70% of larvae from entering stalks. Larval mortality was 70–100% and tunnel lengths were reduced by 60–87%. Larval infestation resulted in reduced electron transport capacity and net photosynthetic rate, which was ameliorated in the presence of I . fumosorosea and reversed by B . bassiana and M . robertsii . The growth of sorghum was unaffected in all treatments during the experimental period. B eauveria bassiana and M . robertsii can protect sweet sorghum from damage induced by S . nonagrioides under natural environmental conditions without affecting plant physiology and growth.