RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Possibilities of native endophytic fungi as entomopathogenic biocontrol agents at a local scale: the case of deciduous and non-deciduous Mediterranean forest trees
A1 Benito Delgado, Álvaro
A1 Diez Hermano, Sergio
A1 Díez Casero, Julio Javier
K1 Biocontrol
K1 Pesticide
K1 Tree pest
K1 Native fungi
K1 Climate change
K1 31 Ciencias Agrarias
AB Tree endophytic fungi play an important role inreducing insect herbivory, either by repelling them or kill-ing them directly. Identifying which fungi show such activ-ity could lead to new environmentally friendly pesticides.In this study, the Mediterranean basin climate conditionsare projected to harshen in the next decades, will increasevulnerability of tree species to pest invasions. Endophyticfungi were isolated from wood and leaves of Quercus pyr-enaica, Q. ilex and Q. suber and tested for virulence againstadults of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor L. using adirect contact method. Only 3 of 111 sporulating isolates hadentomopathogenic activity, all identified as Lecanicilliumlecanii. The pathogenicity of L. lecanii on T. molitor resultedin a median lethal time (TL50) of 14–16 d. Compared withcommercial products, L. lecanii caused faster insect deaththan the nematode Steinernema carpocapsae and nuclearpolyhedrosis virus (no effect on T. molitor survival), andslower than Beauveria bassiana (TL50 = 5), Beauveria pseu-dobassiana (TL50 = 8d) and Bacillus thuriengensis (80%mortality first day after inoculation). Mortality was alsoaccelerated under water stress, reducing TL50 by an addi-tional 33%. Remarkably, water stress alone had a comparableeffect on mortality to that of L. lecanii isolates. This studyconfirms T. molitor as a good model insect for pathogenicitytesting and agrees with management policies proposed in theEU Green Deal.
PB Springer
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/75878
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/75878
LA eng
NO Journal of Forestry Research, 2024, vol. 36, n. 1.
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 20-jul-2025