Can <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> Reduce the Feeding of the Neotropical Brown Stink Bug, <i>Euschistus heros</i> (Fabricius, 1798), and Its Damage to Soybean Seeds?

The fungus <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> is under development as a bioinsecticide for <i>Euschistus heros</i>. To further elucidate the effect of this fungus on <i>E. heros</i> behavior, we monitored the feeding activities of adults treated with the fungus at 1 ×...

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Main Authors: André Cirilo de Sousa Almeida, Mayara Alves Rodrigues, Heloiza Alves Boaventura, Angélica Siqueira Vieira, José Francisco Arruda e Silva, Flávio Gonçalves de Jesus, Eliane Dias Quintela
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/4/247
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author André Cirilo de Sousa Almeida
Mayara Alves Rodrigues
Heloiza Alves Boaventura
Angélica Siqueira Vieira
José Francisco Arruda e Silva
Flávio Gonçalves de Jesus
Eliane Dias Quintela
author_facet André Cirilo de Sousa Almeida
Mayara Alves Rodrigues
Heloiza Alves Boaventura
Angélica Siqueira Vieira
José Francisco Arruda e Silva
Flávio Gonçalves de Jesus
Eliane Dias Quintela
author_sort André Cirilo de Sousa Almeida
collection DOAJ
description The fungus <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> is under development as a bioinsecticide for <i>Euschistus heros</i>. To further elucidate the effect of this fungus on <i>E. heros</i> behavior, we monitored the feeding activities of adults treated with the fungus at 1 × 10<sup>8</sup> conidia mL<sup>−1</sup> on soybean in the pod-filling stage (R5) through electropenetrography (EPG) AC-DC. We also determined the virulence of <i>M. anisopliae</i> to adults and its damage to soybean seeds. <i>M. anisopliae</i> displayed high levels of virulence to adults even at low concentrations of 5 × 10<sup>6</sup> conidia mL<sup>−1</sup> (98% mortality). <i>E. heros</i> females were more susceptible to <i>M. anisopliae</i> than males, exhibiting a lower LT<sub>50</sub> for mycosed adults (7.1 and 9.7 days, respectively). The EPG experiment showed that fungus-treated adults spent significantly less time on probing activities (reduced by 86% at day four and ceased at day five) than untreated insects, and the number of waveform events per insect significantly decreased. This information is valuable for managing stink bugs at the field level, as it shows that even though the insect is alive, its feeding is compromised, consequently minimizing the damage inflicted to the crop. This study paves the way for further research employing entomopathogenic fungi in pest control.
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spelling doaj-art-291f99bf2fbd425ab87f8fc5768561cf2025-08-20T02:18:14ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2025-03-0111424710.3390/jof11040247Can <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> Reduce the Feeding of the Neotropical Brown Stink Bug, <i>Euschistus heros</i> (Fabricius, 1798), and Its Damage to Soybean Seeds?André Cirilo de Sousa Almeida0Mayara Alves Rodrigues1Heloiza Alves Boaventura2Angélica Siqueira Vieira3José Francisco Arruda e Silva4Flávio Gonçalves de Jesus5Eliane Dias Quintela6Instituto Federal Goiano—Campus Urutaí, Rodovia Professor Geraldo Silva Nascimento, Km 2,5, Urutaí 75790-000, GO, BrazilInstituto Federal Goiano—Campus Urutaí, Rodovia Professor Geraldo Silva Nascimento, Km 2,5, Urutaí 75790-000, GO, BrazilEmbrapa Arroz e Feijão, Rodovia GO-462, Km 12, Fazenda Capivara, Zona Rural, CP 179, Santo Antônio de Goiás 75375-000, GO, BrazilEmbrapa Arroz e Feijão, Rodovia GO-462, Km 12, Fazenda Capivara, Zona Rural, CP 179, Santo Antônio de Goiás 75375-000, GO, BrazilEmbrapa Arroz e Feijão, Rodovia GO-462, Km 12, Fazenda Capivara, Zona Rural, CP 179, Santo Antônio de Goiás 75375-000, GO, BrazilInstituto Federal Goiano—Campus Urutaí, Rodovia Professor Geraldo Silva Nascimento, Km 2,5, Urutaí 75790-000, GO, BrazilEmbrapa Arroz e Feijão, Rodovia GO-462, Km 12, Fazenda Capivara, Zona Rural, CP 179, Santo Antônio de Goiás 75375-000, GO, BrazilThe fungus <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> is under development as a bioinsecticide for <i>Euschistus heros</i>. To further elucidate the effect of this fungus on <i>E. heros</i> behavior, we monitored the feeding activities of adults treated with the fungus at 1 × 10<sup>8</sup> conidia mL<sup>−1</sup> on soybean in the pod-filling stage (R5) through electropenetrography (EPG) AC-DC. We also determined the virulence of <i>M. anisopliae</i> to adults and its damage to soybean seeds. <i>M. anisopliae</i> displayed high levels of virulence to adults even at low concentrations of 5 × 10<sup>6</sup> conidia mL<sup>−1</sup> (98% mortality). <i>E. heros</i> females were more susceptible to <i>M. anisopliae</i> than males, exhibiting a lower LT<sub>50</sub> for mycosed adults (7.1 and 9.7 days, respectively). The EPG experiment showed that fungus-treated adults spent significantly less time on probing activities (reduced by 86% at day four and ceased at day five) than untreated insects, and the number of waveform events per insect significantly decreased. This information is valuable for managing stink bugs at the field level, as it shows that even though the insect is alive, its feeding is compromised, consequently minimizing the damage inflicted to the crop. This study paves the way for further research employing entomopathogenic fungi in pest control.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/4/247biological controlelectropenetrographyentomopathogenic fungiEPG
spellingShingle André Cirilo de Sousa Almeida
Mayara Alves Rodrigues
Heloiza Alves Boaventura
Angélica Siqueira Vieira
José Francisco Arruda e Silva
Flávio Gonçalves de Jesus
Eliane Dias Quintela
Can <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> Reduce the Feeding of the Neotropical Brown Stink Bug, <i>Euschistus heros</i> (Fabricius, 1798), and Its Damage to Soybean Seeds?
Journal of Fungi
biological control
electropenetrography
entomopathogenic fungi
EPG
title Can <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> Reduce the Feeding of the Neotropical Brown Stink Bug, <i>Euschistus heros</i> (Fabricius, 1798), and Its Damage to Soybean Seeds?
title_full Can <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> Reduce the Feeding of the Neotropical Brown Stink Bug, <i>Euschistus heros</i> (Fabricius, 1798), and Its Damage to Soybean Seeds?
title_fullStr Can <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> Reduce the Feeding of the Neotropical Brown Stink Bug, <i>Euschistus heros</i> (Fabricius, 1798), and Its Damage to Soybean Seeds?
title_full_unstemmed Can <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> Reduce the Feeding of the Neotropical Brown Stink Bug, <i>Euschistus heros</i> (Fabricius, 1798), and Its Damage to Soybean Seeds?
title_short Can <i>Metarhizium anisopliae</i> Reduce the Feeding of the Neotropical Brown Stink Bug, <i>Euschistus heros</i> (Fabricius, 1798), and Its Damage to Soybean Seeds?
title_sort can i metarhizium anisopliae i reduce the feeding of the neotropical brown stink bug i euschistus heros i fabricius 1798 and its damage to soybean seeds
topic biological control
electropenetrography
entomopathogenic fungi
EPG
url https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/4/247
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