Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Potato Research, cilt.67, sa.1, ss.293-305, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
The potato tuber moth (PTM), Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a worldwide potato pest that thrives in warm temperate and tropical climates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathogenicity of indigenous isolates of three entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs) [Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill.–3, Isaria fumosorosea (Wize) Brown & Smith–1, and Lecanicillium psalliotae (Treschew) Zare & Gams–1] against eggs, younger larvae (1st and 2nd instars), and older (3rd and 4th instars) larvae of PTM under laboratory conditions. Whole isolates were applied at three different conidial suspensions of (1 × 106, 1 × 107, and 1 × 108 conidia/mL), using a spray method. Pathogenicity tests revealed that all of the isolates tested had varying degrees of pathogenicity against the pest. The highest mortalities were seen in the larvae; however, younger larvae were more susceptible than the older ones. Eggs were generally less susceptible than larvae. Two B. basiana isolates (M49 and M48) were more lethal against PTM than the others, generating 100.0% and 96.1% mortalities in older larvae, respectively, and 100.0% mortalities in younger larvae. These two isolates likewise had the strongest egg-hatching inhibitory effects, preventing egg hatching in 0–48 h old eggs by 88.6% and 80.0%, respectively, 7 days after treatment. All tested isolates were also molecularly identified. According to the results of molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the ITS region sequence, the two most pathogenic B. bassiana isolates exhibit a high similarity (99%) with other B. bassiana isolates in GenBank.