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...
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2025-03-01
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| author | Lulu Liu Shiming Liu Qingfan Meng Bing Chen Junjie Zhang Xue Zhang Zhe Lin Zhen Zou |
| author_facet | Lulu Liu Shiming Liu Qingfan Meng Bing Chen Junjie Zhang Xue Zhang Zhe Lin Zhen Zou |
| author_sort | Lulu Liu |
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| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5663706bd7c446c6aa17eb7838fd13d2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj-art-5663706bd7c446c6aa17eb7838fd13d22025-08-20T03:43:31ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502025-03-0116328710.3390/insects16030287Evaluating <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> Strains for Insect Pest Control and Endophytic Colonization in WheatLulu Liu0Shiming Liu1Qingfan Meng2Bing Chen3Junjie Zhang4Xue Zhang5Zhe Lin6Zhen Zou7Institutes of Life Science and Green Development, School of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, ChinaJilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function of Changbai Mountains, Forestry College, Beihua University, Jilin 132013, ChinaJilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function of Changbai Mountains, Forestry College, Beihua University, Jilin 132013, ChinaInstitutes of Life Science and Green Development, School of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, ChinaEngineering Research Center of Natural Enemies, Institute of Biological Control, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, ChinaEngineering Research Center of Natural Enemies, Institute of Biological Control, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaCertain 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/3/287<i>Beauveria bassiana</i>insecticidal activityendophytic colonizationlepidopteran pestsbiological control |
| spellingShingle | Lulu Liu Shiming Liu Qingfan Meng Bing Chen Junjie Zhang Xue Zhang Zhe Lin Zhen Zou Evaluating <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> Strains for Insect Pest Control and Endophytic Colonization in Wheat Insects <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> insecticidal activity endophytic colonization lepidopteran pests biological control |
| title | Evaluating <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> Strains for Insect Pest Control and Endophytic Colonization in Wheat |
| title_full | Evaluating <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> Strains for Insect Pest Control and Endophytic Colonization in Wheat |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> Strains for Insect Pest Control and Endophytic Colonization in Wheat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> Strains for Insect Pest Control and Endophytic Colonization in Wheat |
| title_short | Evaluating <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> Strains for Insect Pest Control and Endophytic Colonization in Wheat |
| title_sort | evaluating i beauveria bassiana i strains for insect pest control and endophytic colonization in wheat |
| topic | <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> insecticidal activity endophytic colonization lepidopteran pests biological control |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/3/287 |
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