Evaluating <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> Strains for Insect Pest Control and Endophytic Colonization in Wheat

Evaluating <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> Strains for Insect Pest Control and Endophytic Colonization in Wheat

Certain entomopathogenic fungi, such as <i>Beauveria bassiana</i>, are highly pathogenic to arthropod pests and are able to colonize plant tissues, thereby enhancing both plant growth and disease resistance. This study assessed three <i>B. bassiana</i> strains (CBM1, CBM2, an...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lulu Liu, Shiming Liu, Qingfan Meng, Bing Chen, Junjie Zhang, Xue Zhang, Zhe Lin, Zhen Zou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Insects
Subjects:
<i>Beauveria bassiana</i>
insecticidal activity
endophytic colonization
lepidopteran pests
biological control
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/3/287
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Certain entomopathogenic fungi, such as <i>Beauveria bassiana</i>, are highly pathogenic to arthropod pests and are able to colonize plant tissues, thereby enhancing both plant growth and disease resistance. This study assessed three <i>B. bassiana</i> strains (CBM1, CBM2, and CBM3) for their pathogenicity toward insect larvae and colonization potential in wheat. The insecticidal activity of the fungi against the larvae of the major lepidopteran pests <i>Helicoverpa armigera</i>, <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>, <i>Mythimna separata</i>, and <i>Plutella xylostella</i> was determined. The fungi were then applied to wheat plants using seed immersion and soil drench methods; their colonization rates were compared, and the impacts of fungal colonization on wheat growth and survival were evaluated. The results demonstrated that all three strains were effective in reducing insect damage, with <i>B. bassiana</i> CBM1 exhibiting the highest pathogenicity followed by CBM3 and CBM2. <i>B. bassiana</i> CBM1 was particularly effective, with a significantly higher colonization rate achieved through soil drenching compared to seed immersion. The soil inoculation of <i>B. bassiana</i> resulted in increased plant height at 30 days after sowing (DAS) and root length at 15 DAS compared to the control group. <i>B. bassiana</i> CBM1-colonized wheat increased the mortality of fall armyworm. This research has enriched the biological control microbial resource pool and highlights the potential of <i>B. bassiana</i> in integrated pest management strategies.
ISSN:2075-4450

Similar Items