Phenotype responses to abiotic stresses, asexual reproduction and virulence among isolates of the entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps javanica (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae)

• Published in: Microbiological research Vol. 216; pp. 12 - 22
• Main Authors: Mascarin, Gabriel Moura, Alves Pereira-Junior, Ronaldo, Fernandes, Éverton Kort Kamp, Quintela, Eliane Dias, Dunlap, Christopher A., Arthurs, Steven Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01.11.2018
• Subjects: Acclimatization - physiology; Biological control; Brazil; Cordyceps - isolation & purification; Cordyceps - pathogenicity; Cordyceps - physiology; Cordyceps - radiation effects; Heat-Shock; Heat-Shock Response; Hot Temperature; Insecticides; Multivariate Analysis; Osmotic Pressure; Osmotic stress; Oxidative Stress; Pest Control, Biological - methods; Phenotype; Phylogeny; Principal component analysis; Reproduction, Asexual - physiology; Spores, Fungal - growth & development; Stress, Physiological - physiology; Ultraviolet Rays; UV-B tolerance; Virulence; Oxidative stress; UV-B tolerance; Heat-Shock; Biological control; Osmotic stress; Principal component analysis
• ISSN: 0944-5013; 1618-0623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2018.08.002

[Display omitted] Selecting entomopathogenic fungal isolates with resilience to environmental stresses, optimal mass production characteristics, and with high virulence to target pests favors the development of mycopesticides. A case in point, Cordyceps (= Isaria) javanica has been extensively investigated for non-chemical control of whiteflies worldwide. We phylogenetically characterized 11 native C. javanica isolates from Northeastern and Central Brazil. These isolates were screened for tolerance to heat-shock, UV-B radiation, osmotic and oxidative stresses, as well as conidial production on cereal grain and insecticidal activity against the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (MEAM 1) in the laboratory. All isolates were pathogenic to whiteflies and significant (3-fold) differences in median lethal concentration were observed among isolates. Furthermore, pronounced differences among isolates were found for stress factors and conidial production. Using principal component analysis, our results highlighted three major clusters formed by isolates (i) resistant to osmotic and oxidative stress, (ii) resilient to UV-B, and (iii) with high virulence, conidial production and heat tolerance. Overall, isolate CG1228 performed best based on multi-stress resistance, mass production and virulence attributes in the laboratory. This study highlights the importance of exploring natural variation in entomopathogenic fungi for selection of appropriate isolates for effective biocontrol of insect pests coupled with mass production characteristics and abiotic stress tolerances.