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– Phylogenetic tree showing interkingdom host jumping among members of Hypocreales. Stalked stromata among sexually reproducing, animal parasitic taxa are the result of convergent evolution, and acquisition of a well resolved phylogeny has resulted in numerous taxonomic changes at family and generic level, some of which are shown on the tree; clades A–C are identified as originally published (Spatafora et al. 2007, http://cordyceps. us/Systematics). Note especially the restricted use of Cordyceps, and new names Elaphocordyceps and Ophiocordyceps. Simplified from Spatafora et al. (2007).
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An important mechanism for insect pest control should be the use of fungal entomopathogens. Even though these organisms have been studied for more than 100 y, their effective use in the field remains elusive. Recently, however, it has been discovered that many of these entomopathogenic fungi play additional roles in nature. They are endophytes, ant...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... of six DNA loci indicated at least Table 1). interkingdom shifts had occurred among taxa in three distinct clades of fungal, plant and animal parasites (Fig 2). The ''traditional'' Clavicipitaceae (s.l.) have been revised to reflect the new phylogenetic findings, and two new families and several new generic taxa replace some long-established names in the newly defined monophyletic groups ( Sung et al. 2007; http://cordyceps.us). ...
Context 2
... hypothesis has been put forth to explain shifts to distantly related hosts of Hypocreales (Nikoh & Fukatsu 2000;Spa- tafora et al. 2007). There are several examples of extreme host shifts among members of Hypocreales (Fig 2). Ophiocordycipitaceae that infect larval and pupal arthropod hosts in soil are the closest relatives of parasites of hypogeous fungi; the close relatives of species of Clavicipitaceae associated with hemipteran insect parasites are species with endophytic life styles. ...
Context 3
... of six DNA loci indicated at least Table 1). interkingdom shifts had occurred among taxa in three distinct clades of fungal, plant and animal parasites (Fig 2). The ''traditional'' Clavicipitaceae (s.l.) have been revised to reflect the new phylogenetic findings, and two new families and several new generic taxa replace some long-established names in the newly defined monophyletic groups ( Sung et al. 2007; http://cordyceps.us). ...
Context 4
... hypothesis has been put forth to explain shifts to distantly related hosts of Hypocreales (Nikoh & Fukatsu 2000;Spatafora et al. 2007). There are several examples of extreme host shifts among members of Hypocreales (Fig 2). Ophio- cordycipitaceae that infect larval and pupal arthropod hosts in soil are the closest relatives of parasites of hypogeous fungi; the close relatives of species of Clavicipitaceae associated with hemipteran insect parasites are species with endophytic life styles. ...
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Many Entompathgenic fungal species are of agricultural importance as safe alternatives for chemical insecticides in controlling the various insect pests of crops. pH is one of the abiotic factors influencing the activity of these fungi in both laboratory survival and field efficacy. The effect of pH of the media on the biomass growth of seven local...
Several ascomycetous insect pathogenic fungi, including species in the genera Beauveria and Metarhizium, are also plant root symbionts/endophytes and are termed endophytic insect pathogenic fungi (EIPF). The ability of these fungi to infect insects as well as colonize plant roots is coupled in that EIPF can translocate insect‐derived nitrogen from...
Citations
... These methods include leaf spraying, stem injection, seed treatment, and soil irrigation (Fig. 5) (Quesada-Moraga et al. 2006). A highly effective approach for controlling insect pests on the leaf surface (phylloplane region) is the application of EPF spore suspensions through spraying (Vega et al. 2009). EPF targets insects that feed on the leaves, roots, stems, seeds, and rhizomes (Resquín-Romero et al. 2016). ...
... These methods include leaf spraying, stem injection, seed treatment, and soil irrigation (Fig. 5) (Quesada-Moraga et al. 2006). A highly effective approach for controlling insect pests on the leaf surface (phylloplane region) is the application of EPF spore suspensions through spraying (Vega et al. 2009). EPF targets insects that feed on the leaves, roots, stems, seeds, and rhizomes (Resquín-Romero et al. 2016). ...
Plant pathogens with their abundance are harmful and cause huge damage to different agricultural crops and economy of a country as well as lead towards the shortage of food for humans. For their management, the utilization of entomopathogenic fungi is an eco-friendly technique, sustainable to the environment, safe for humans and has promising effect over chemical-based pesticides. This process requires a biochemical mechanism, including the production of enzymes, toxins, and other metabolites that facilitate host infection and invasion. Essential enzymes such as chitinase, proteinase, and lipase play a direct role in breaking down the host cuticle, the primary barrier to EPF (Entomopathogenic Fungi) infection. Additionally, secondary metabolites such as destruxins in Metarhizium, beauvericin in Beauveria, hirsutellides in Hirsutella, isarolides in Isaria, cordyols in Cordyceps, and vertihemipterins in Verticillium, among others, act both directly and indirectly to disable the defense mechanisms of insect hosts, thereby accelerating the EPF infection process. The chemical composition of these secondary metabolites varies, ranging from simple non-peptide pigments such as oosporine to highly complex piperazine derivatives such as vertihemiptellides. The biocontrol efficacy of EPF is extensively studied, with numerous fungal strains commercially available on a large scale for managing arthropod pests. This review emphasizes the role of proteins and enzymes against crop pathogens, detailing their mode of action, and describing the metabolites from entomopathogenic fungi and their biological activities. In doing so, these findings contribute to establishing a symbiotic equilibrium between agricultural productivity and environmental conservation.
Graphical abstract
... The origins of significant field trials related to EPF can be traced back to 1888 when Russian microbiologist Elie Metchnikoff conducted pioneering experiments. Metchnikoff's groundbreaking work in this field eventually led to the identification of Metarhizium anisopliae, a discovery that earned him a Nobel Prize (Vega et al., 2009). Entomopathogenic fungi, a group of fungi that eliminate insects by infecting their hosts, have been extensively studied (Singkaravanit et al., 2010). ...
Agricultural production faces significant challenges due to the loss of crop yields, highlighting the need for improvements in pest management methods to enhance productivity. Crop growers are increasingly pressured to minimize the use of chemical pesticides without compromising yields. However, managing pests has become more challenging due to pesticide resistance and limited product availability. Consequently, there is an urgent requirement for alternative approaches. Entomopathogens such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes emerge as promising alternatives to broad-spectrum chemical insecticides. They have been widely employed to control insect pests in cultivated crops, employing successful strategies such as augmentation and classical biological control. These methods involve applying or introducing bacteria, baculoviruses, fungi, and nematodes. Utilizing entomopathogens offers numerous benefits beyond their effectiveness. These advantages encompass the capacity to treat expansive areas with a sole application, ensuring safety for both humans and non-target organisms. Additionally, their use leads to decreased pesticide residues in food, the conservation of natural enemies, and a boost in biodiversity within managed ecosystems. Entomopathogens present a viable solution by offering effective pest control while addressing environmental, human health, and ecosystem sustainability concerns. The primary emphasis of this review is on the present condition of bio-formulations, the pathogenicity associated with entomopathogens, their mode of action, and the possible implementation of diverse microbial formulations aimed at achieving sustainable pest management.
... Vuill. is among the most influential and best-studied fungal pathogens (Inglis et al., 2001;Meyling & Eilenberg, 2007;Chu et al., 2017). This EPF is ubiquitous and a generalist with a broad host range from insects to arachnids (Vega et al., 2009;Vega & Kaya, 2012). The virulence of B. bassiana is variable and highly dependent on the isolate (Lovera et al., 2020;Wang et al., 2021). ...
Pathogen infection and conspecific density may considerably affect key life-history
traits of organisms. For naturally aggregating species, even low concentrations of
pathogens or high larval densities may have detrimental effects. However, the detailed influence of these factors, particularly their interaction effect, is often overlooked in ecological and life-history studies. To investigate the effects of conspecific
density and pathogen infection on life-history traits, we explored the influence of
larval density (1 and 5 larvae cm−2, i.e., low and high density, respectively) on phenoloxidase (PO) activity, body mass, and development time of Hermetia illucens L.
(Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae in the presence of two strains of the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. We observed higher PO activity in EPF-treated larvae than in the untreated control and a pronounced difference
in PO activity between the two EPF-strain treatments. Larvae reared at high density
and treated with EPF showed higher PO activity than untreated larvae at low density.
The EPF-treated larvae and larvae reared at high density had longer larval periods
than untreated larvae and larvae reared at low density, respectively. Larvae reared
at high density also achieved reduced prepupal and pupal masses compared to conspecifics at low density. Interestingly, untreated larvae only achieved higher prepupal and pupal masses at low density, whereas at high density, the pattern was reversed (treated individuals had higher pupal masses). Overall, our results demonstrate that high density and fungal pathogens both induce a higher immune response compared to low density and pathogen-free environments, but this comes with a cost of a longer larval period and reduced body mass.
... 62 Additionally, EPF exhibited direct antagonism against pathogens via antibiosis, competition or parasitism through the production of fungal secondary metabolites. 8,[63][64][65][66] In the present study, M. rileyi inhibited S. sclerotiorum growth on PDA medium as evidenced by an obvious antagonistic zone, which indicated an improved resistance of plants to S. sclerotiorum infection on soybean following colonization and suggests that M. rileyi secretes inhibiting compounds to the growth medium, but this requires further study. Specifically, when soybean was inoculated by M. rileyi, the expression levels of plant resistance-related genes of the SA, JA and ET pathways in leaves were dramatically upregulated compared with those in the control treatments. ...
BACKGROUND
Entomophagous fungi (EPF) not only directly kill insect pests, but also colonize plants and improve their resistance against pests. However, most previous research has focused on Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, and there are few reports on whether other EPF can enhance resistance against pests via endogenous colonization. Herein, an EPF strain was isolated from diseased larvae of Spodoptera litura in a soybean field, and subjected to genome‐wide sequencing at the chromosomal level. The pathogenicity of the isolate toward various pest insects was evaluated, and the ability to colonize plants and induce resistance against phytopathogens and insect pests was tested.
RESULTS
The purified isolate was identified as M. rileyi and designated MrS1Gz1–1. Biological assays revealed its strong pathogenicity toward five insect pests belonging to Lepidoptera and Hemiptera. Furthermore, the strain inhibited the growth of soil‐borne plant disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in vitro. It colonized plants as an endophyte via soil application, thereby inducing plant resistance‐related genes against phytopathogen infection, and it disrupted the feeding selectivity of S. litura larvae.
CONCLUSION
M. rileyi MrS1Gz1–1 has potential as a broad‐spectrum microbial control agent that can induce resistance against phytopathogens and insect pests feeding as an endotype. The complete genome provides a valuable resource for exploring host interactions. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
... At the same time, these entomopathogenic fungi do not show any activity Rhizoctonia solani (Fig. 10). Many researchers reported that Metarhizium species had a high virulence against such plant pathogens as B. cinerea, Fusarium spp., Phytophthora megasperma, Podosphaera fuliginea, Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia solani, Sphaerotheca fuliginea and Verticillium dahliae [59,61,62,63,64]. ...
Aims: To increase conidia production of local Metarhizium spp-strains by selecting the low-cost media to test obtained bioformulation against the sucking pests and fungal plant pathogens. Study Design: The phytophages like black bean aphid (Aphis fabae), a scale insect (Aspidiotus nerii) and spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) are economically essential pests in Kyrgyzstan. The current requirement is to use environmentally friendly protection to reduce the number of these pests. The entomopathogenic fungus from the Metarhizium genus was used to reduce harmful pests in vitro and in vivo experiments. Methodology: Natural Metarhizium spp. strains were isolated from dead insect bodies of the Lepidoptera and Apidae families. A laboratory bioassay was conducted to evaluate isolated Metarhizium spp.strains against nymphal stages and adults of sucking pests like A. fabae ((Blackfly), A.nerii (Scale insect) and T.urticae (Spider mite). The inhibitory effect of Metarhizium spp.against Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria spp. and Rhizoctonia solani was detected using a dual culture technique. Results: The results of in vitro bioassay tests against sucking pests have revealed the LC50 and LT50 values of TLK-1 isolate. The LC50 of this isolate for A. fabae adults was 1 × 10 6 conidia\ mL-1; for A.nerii, it was lower-7 × 10 5 conidia\ ml-1; while for adults T.urticae it was higher-13 × 10 6 conidia \ ml-1. Such mortality occurred after 49.63 hours in adults of A. fabae (LT50), after 46.30 hours in A.nerii (LT50), and after 75.87 hours in deutonymph and adults of T. urticae (LT50). Three isolates, TLK-1, TLA-2 and BZТК1, have exhibited biofingicide activity in pathogen fungi like Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria spp. Conclusion: The found isolates can be simultaneously used against pathogenic fungi, essential for developing inexpensive biological formulas based on these fungi.
... In recent years, due to the increase in maize yields and planting area, the use of chemical fertilizers has risen year by year, exacerbating soil stagnation, acidification, salinization, and reduced use of organic fertilizers, leading to crop yield reductions, increased resistance of phytophagous pests, increased production costs and environmental pollution, and a series of problems [1,2].To implement actions and strategies for sustainable food production systems, such as integrated pest management (IPM) and the development of organic agriculture, one of which is based on microorganisms and their metabolites for controlling pest and disease damage to crops, increasing plant "immunity" to abiotic stresses and promoting crop growth [3][4][5][6]. Metarhizum spp. is widely known as an entomopathogenic fungus, it is widely distributed throughout the world and usually survives in nature as a plant inter-root fungus [7], a plant endophyte [8], an insect pathogen [9], and a soil fungus. In 1883, Sorokin officially named the first species of Metarhizium as Metarhizium [10], and since then the research on Metarhizium as insect pathogens and biopesticides has begun. ...
In order to further clarify the growth-promoting effect of non-core Metarhizium spp. M. marquandii on plants, M. marquandii SGSF043, which was obtained from the pre-screening in the laboratory, was selected as a test strain, and the effects of the fungus fermentation broth during the stabilization period of the growth of this strain on the growth and growth of maize seeds were investigated by using fermentation broth as a submerged seed. germination, seedling growth, and inter-root soil enzyme activity of seedlings. The results are as follows: In the seed germination test, M. marquandii SGSF043 fermentation liquid had a certain inhibitory effect on the germination of maize seeds, and the 10-times dilution of the fermentation liquid significantly promoted the seed germination, and the effect was the best; After the germination test, the growth of maize germ was promoted by the treatment groups of 10 times and 1,000 times diluent; In the field plot experiment, the 100-fold dilution had the best growth promotion effect, which could promote the growth of cabbage seedlings and increase the seedling biomass. The results show that M. marquandii SGSF043 has the potential to promote the growth of maize and improve the soil environment, which provides a theoretical basis for the research and application of M. marquandii in farmland.
... There are more than 1500 species of fungi reported to infect insects (Vega et al. 2009;Vega and Kaya 2012;Shang et al. 2015;Araújo and Hughes 2016). These EPF are largely distributed in phylum Ascomycota and subphylum Entomophthoromycotina (Zoopagomycota), followed by species in order of descending numbers of EPF of Microsporidia (Cryptomycota), Blastocladiomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota as well as the fungus-like oomycete insect pathogens (Humber 2008). ...
Insects and fungi, both megadiverse groups of organisms, have a long history of associations with each other. Among the fungi, Hypocreales (Ascomycota) and Entomophthoromycotina (Zoopagomycota), contain the most common pathogens of insects. Ascomycete entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are mostly well-studied and have been found to be either heterothallically or homothallically sexual with a divergent number of genes at the mating-type loci of different species. So far more than 100 strains of >60 EPF species have been genome sequenced which demonstrated substantial variations in genome size and gene content among each other. However, convergent evolution of fungal entomopathogenicity has been coined, especially in terms of the similar expansion of protease and chitinase gene families in EPF for targeting the protein- and chitin-rich insect cuticles. Functional genetic studies have unveiled an array of EPF genes involved in mediating host recognition and interactions with insect hosts, especially mechanisms of invading or evading host immunity to facilitate fungal colonization of insect body cavities. The discovery of small molecules and their essential roles in mediating EPF associations with insect hosts also have been advanced. In addition to advancing the mechanisms of fungus–insect interactions, these works highly benefit the development of cost-effective mycoinsecticides and the protection of ecologically and economically important beneficial insects.
... Frontiers in Microbiology 10 frontiersin.org pathogens via antibiosis, competition, or parasitism through the production of fungal secondary metabolites (Ownley et al., 2008;Vega et al., 2009). Previous research has found that Aspergillus species could produce various beneficial compounds such as cyclosporine A, asperfuranone, terrrein, itaconic acid, kojic acid, citric acid, and gluconic acid (Sun et al., 2018;Wu et al., 2019;Chigozie et al., 2022), which showed antifungal, antibacterial, and phytotoxic activities, and played a crucial role to antagonize the devastating phytopathogens (Ding et al., 2019). ...
Introduction
Aspergillus nomiae is known as a pathogenic fungus that infects humans and plants but has never been reported as an entomophagous fungus (EPF) that can provide other functions as an endotype.
Methods
A strain of EPF was isolated and identified from diseased larvae of Spodoptera litura in a soybean field and designated AnS1Gzl-1. Pathogenicity of the strain toward various insect pests was evaluated, especially the ability to colonize plants and induce resistance against phytopathogens and insect pests.
Results
The isolated EPF strain AnS1Gzl-1 was identified as A. nomiae; it showed strong pathogenicity toward five insect pests belonging to Lepidoptera and Hemiptera. Furthermore, the strain inhibited the growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in vitro, a causal agent of soil-borne plant disease. It colonized plants as an endophyte via root irrigation with a high colonization rate of 90%, thereby inducing plant resistance against phytopathogen infection, and disrupting the feeding selectivity of S. litura larvae.
Discussion
This is the first record of a natural infection of A. nomiae on insects. A. nomiae has the potential to be used as a dual biocontrol EPF because of its ability to not only kill a broad spectrum of insect pests directly but also induce resistance against phytopathogens via plant colonization.
... Endophytes (ENP) are microorganisms (actinomycetes, bacteria, or fungi) that asymptomatically live inside plant tissues [1,2]. Some protect host plants from stress and promote their growth [3,4]. In addition to Beauveria bassiana's potential as an entomopathogen, this fungus establishes as an endophyte, after being naturally implanted in plant tissues or artificially applied, which protects from herbivores [5][6][7], pathogens [8,9], or abiotic stress, among others [10][11][12]. ...
Beauveria bassiana (B. bassiana) is a significant entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) in agriculture as a sprayable biocontrol agent. It has the potential to be established as an endophyte (ENP) in various crops, resulting in beneficial effects for the host plants, including resistance to pest insects and increased growth and yield. However, it is not known whether a B. bassiana strain has such a favorable impact on the plant, since it is a common soil microorganism. Therefore, techniques that allow strain monitoring will be advantageous. To date, methods for detecting or monitoring a specific EPF strain after external application are scarce. In the present study, an in planta nested PCR technique was standardized to differentiate between three B. bassiana strains (GHA, PTG4, and BB37) established as endophytes in bean plants under laboratory conditions by detecting the insertion profile of four group I introns located in the 28S gene of B. bassiana ribosomal DNA. This technique recognized a distinct pattern of bands of different sizes for each strain, with a sensitivity of 1 pg per 10 ng of plant DNA. This molecular approach may be more effective monitoring B. bassiana strains after application to evaluate their significance on crops.
