Paecilomyces fumosoroseus
Encyclopedia
Paecilomyces fumosoroseus is a microscopic fungus
that infects and kills insects. It shows promise as a biological pesticide with an extensive host range.
of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus lands on a suitable host, it produces enzymes to penetrate the insect's cuticle
. A germ tube then grows into the haemocoel and the fungus proliferates inside the insect’s body. The fungus can also enter through the spiracle
s, the mouth
or the anal opening
. The mycelia spread in the hemolymph
and tissues, eventually emerging from the insect and producing conidia
. Mortality of the insect has been ascribed to the drainage of its nutrients, the destruction of its tissues and the release of toxins.
(Plutella xyllostella), the Russian wheat aphid
(Diuraphis noxia) and the silverleaf whitefly
(Bemisia argentifolii). Among mites, susceptible species include the spotted spider mite
(Tetranychus urticae), the European red mite
(Panonychus ulmi), the brown mite (Byrobia rubrioculus) and the apple rust mite (Aculus schlectendali).
It has also been found to reduce the development and spread of powdery mildew, Sphaerotheca fuliginea
, on cucumbers.
A comparison made between several entomopathogenic
hyphomycetes
showed that Paecilomyces fumosoroseus provided more effective control of the cabbage-heart caterpillar, Crocidolomia binotalis, than did either Beauveria bassiana
or Metarhizium anisopliae
.
Research at the USDA-ARS Bioactive Agents Research Unit in Peoria showed that blastospores start germinating at a faster rate on the cuticle of silverleaf whiteflies than do conidia. This suggests that the use of blastospores rather than conidia for the development of formulations would be advantageous. No commercial formulation of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus is currently available in the USA but a commercial product is being marketed in Europe under the trade name "PreFeRal".
The fungus neither grows nor develops at temperatures above 32°C and is not thought to be pathogenic to humans. It has not been found to be toxic to rats in laboratory experiments and is not considered to be harmful to birds, honey bees, bumblebees or a wide range of non-target arthropods.
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
that infects and kills insects. It shows promise as a biological pesticide with an extensive host range.
Life cycle
When a blastosporeBlastospore
A blastospore is an asexual fungal spore produced by budding. Produced by fungi within the phylum Glomeromycota and others. During gastrulation, it leads to the formation of the archenteron. It is also known as blastoconidium...
of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus lands on a suitable host, it produces enzymes to penetrate the insect's cuticle
Cuticle
A cuticle , or cuticula, is a term used for any of a variety of tough but flexible, non-mineral outer coverings of an organism, or parts of an organism, that provide protection. Various types of "cuticles" are non-homologous; differing in their origin, structure, function, and chemical composition...
. A germ tube then grows into the haemocoel and the fungus proliferates inside the insect’s body. The fungus can also enter through the spiracle
Spiracle
Spiracles are openings on the surface of some animals that usually lead to respiratory systems.-Vertebrates:The spiracle is a small hole behind each eye that opens to the mouth in some fishes. In the primitive jawless fish the first gill opening immediately behind the mouth is essentially similar...
s, the mouth
Mouth
The mouth is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food andsaliva. The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium lining the inside of the mouth....
or the anal opening
Anus
The anus is an opening at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to control the expulsion of feces, unwanted semi-solid matter produced during digestion, which, depending on the type of animal, may be one or more of: matter which the animal cannot digest,...
. The mycelia spread in the hemolymph
Hemolymph
Hemolymph, or haemolymph, is a fluid in the circulatory system of some arthropods and is analogous to the fluids and cells making up both blood and interstitial fluid in vertebrates such as birds and mammals...
and tissues, eventually emerging from the insect and producing conidia
Conidium
Conidia, sometimes termed conidiospores, are asexual, non-motile spores of a fungus and are named after the greek word for dust, konia. They are also called mitospores due to the way they are generated through the cellular process of mitosis...
. Mortality of the insect has been ascribed to the drainage of its nutrients, the destruction of its tissues and the release of toxins.
Host range
This fungus has a wide host range that includes insects in over twenty five different families and many species of mite. Agricultural pest insects which are susceptible to infection include the diamondback mothDiamondback moth
The diamondback moth , sometimes called cabbage moth, is a European moth believed to originate in the Mediterranean region that has since spread worldwide. The moth has a short life cycle , is highly fecund and capable of migrating long distances...
(Plutella xyllostella), the Russian wheat aphid
Russian wheat aphid
The Russian wheat aphid is an aphid that can cause significant losses in cereal crops. The species was introduced to the United States in 1986 and is considered an invasive species there. This aphid is pale green and up to 2 mm long. Cornicles are very short, rounded, and appear to be lacking...
(Diuraphis noxia) and the silverleaf whitefly
Silverleaf whitefly
The silverleaf whitefly is one of several whiteflies that are currently important agricultural pests. The Silverleaf Whitefly is classified in the family Aleyrodidae, and is included in the large sub-order of insects, Heteroptera...
(Bemisia argentifolii). Among mites, susceptible species include the spotted spider mite
Tetranychus urticae
Tetranychus urticae is one of many species of plant-feeding mites found in dry environments across the world, and generally considered a pest. It is the most widely known member of the family Tetranychidae or spider mites...
(Tetranychus urticae), the European red mite
Panonychus ulmi
Panonychus ulmi, the European red mite, is a species of mite which is a major agricultural pest of fruit trees. It has a high reproductive rate, a short generation time and produces many broods in a year, all of which contribute to its pest status...
(Panonychus ulmi), the brown mite (Byrobia rubrioculus) and the apple rust mite (Aculus schlectendali).
Use in biological control
Paecilomyces fumosoroseus has been used to control insect pests of plants grown for the production of cut flowers, ornamentals growing in greenhouses and nurseries, vegetable and cole crops, cotton, maize, rice and plantation crops.It has also been found to reduce the development and spread of powdery mildew, Sphaerotheca fuliginea
Sphaerotheca fuliginea
Sphaerotheca fuliginea is a plant pathogen that causes powdery mildew on cucurbits. Sphaerotheca fuliginea and Erysiphe cichoracearum are the two most commonly recorded fungi causing cucurbit powdery mildew. In the past, Erysiphe cichoracearum was considered to be the primary causal organism...
, on cucumbers.
A comparison made between several entomopathogenic
Pathogen
A pathogen gignomai "I give birth to") or infectious agent — colloquially, a germ — is a microbe or microorganism such as a virus, bacterium, prion, or fungus that causes disease in its animal or plant host...
hyphomycetes
Hyphomycetes
Hyphomycetes is an obsolete class of fungi in the equally obsolete phylum Deuteromycota that lack fruiting bodies. Most hyphomycetes have now been assigned to the Ascomycota, mainly as a result of DNA sequencing, but many remain unassigned...
showed that Paecilomyces fumosoroseus provided more effective control of the cabbage-heart caterpillar, Crocidolomia binotalis, than did either Beauveria bassiana
Beauveria bassiana
Beauveria bassiana is a fungus that grows naturally in soils throughout the world and acts as a parasite on various arthropod species, causing white muscardine disease; it thus belongs to the entomopathogenic fungi. It is being used as a biological insecticide to control a number of pests such as...
or Metarhizium anisopliae
Metarhizium anisopliae
Metarhizium anisopliae, formerly known as Entomophthora anisopliae , is a fungus that grows naturally in soils throughout the world and causes disease in various insects by acting as a parasite. Ilya I. Mechnikov named it after the insect species it was originally isolated from: the beetle...
.
Research at the USDA-ARS Bioactive Agents Research Unit in Peoria showed that blastospores start germinating at a faster rate on the cuticle of silverleaf whiteflies than do conidia. This suggests that the use of blastospores rather than conidia for the development of formulations would be advantageous. No commercial formulation of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus is currently available in the USA but a commercial product is being marketed in Europe under the trade name "PreFeRal".
The fungus neither grows nor develops at temperatures above 32°C and is not thought to be pathogenic to humans. It has not been found to be toxic to rats in laboratory experiments and is not considered to be harmful to birds, honey bees, bumblebees or a wide range of non-target arthropods.