Toxicity of Bacillus thuringiensis and B. sphaericus to laboratory populations of Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

• Published in: Journal of basic microbiology Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 105 - 110
• Main Author: Khyami-Horani, Hala
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin WILEY-VCH Verlag Berlin GmbH 01.05.2002; WILEY‐VCH Verlag Berlin GmbH
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Laboratory - growth & development; Animals, Laboratory - microbiology; Bacillus - isolation & purification; Bacillus - pathogenicity; Bacillus thuringiensis; Bacillus thuringiensis - isolation & purification; Bacillus thuringiensis - pathogenicity; Diptera; Drosophila melanogaster; Drosophila melanogaster - growth & development; Drosophila melanogaster - microbiology; Drosophilidae; Larva - growth & development; Larva - microbiology; Spores
• ISSN: 0233-111X; 1521-4028
• DOI: 10.1002/1521-4028(200205)42:2<105::AID-JOBM105>3.0.CO;2-S

A total of 65 samples, consisting of 8 sample types, collected from the Jordan Valley, were examined for the presence of Bacillus thuringiensis and B. sphaericus and for their toxicity against the larvae of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. The frequency of samples containing toxic aerobic spore‐forming bacilli was 12%; of which 21.7% belonged to B. thuringiensis and 17.4% to B. sphaericus. The B. thuringiensis populations consisted of 5 serogroups: thuringiensis (H1), entomocidus (H6), pakistani (H13), autoagglunated, in addition to a new serotype. The B. sphaericus population consisted of 3 serogroups, and belonged to serovars H5, H9, and H13. All B. thuringiensis and B. sphaericus local isolates, in addition to the reference strains B. thuringiensis kuristaki, and B. thuringiensis israelensis, showed high toxicity towards 3rd instar larvae of D. melanogaster. The toxic concentrations ranged between 2.0 × 106 and 4.4 × 107 viable spores ml–1.