Pathogenicity of Aspergillus clavatus produced in a fungal biofilm bioreactor toward Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

• Published in: Journal of Pesticide Science 2014/08/20, Vol.39(3), pp.127-132
• Main Authors: Seye, Fawrou, Bawin, Thomas, Boukraa, Slimane, Zimmer, Jean-Yves, Ndiaye, Mady, Delvigne, Frank, Francis, Frédéric
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aspergillus clavatus; biofilm bioreactor; biological control; entomopathogenic fungi; solid-state fermentation; submerged fermentation
• ISSN: 1348-589X; 1349-0923
• DOI: 10.1584/jpestics.D14-006

Many entomopathogenic fungi have been demonstrated to be potential agents for efficiently controlling mosquito populations. In the present study, we investigated a bioreactor system to produce metabolites and conidia by combining technological advantages of submerged and solid-state fermentations. The efficiency of fungal products was tested toward mosquitoes. Aspergillus clavatus (Eurotiales: Trichocomaceae) was grown by semi-solid-state fermentation in a bioreactor for up to 7 days. Depending on conidial doses (2.5×107, 5×107, 7.5×107, 10×107 and 12.5×107 conidia/mL), mortality ranged from 37.2±15.0 to 86.3±5.0% toward larvae and from 35.8±2.0 to 85.2±1.5% toward adults. The metabolites (10, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% v/v) yielded mortality from 23.7±15.0 to 100.0±0.1% toward larvae, and two sprayed volumes (5 and 10 mL) reached 45.5±1.4 and 75.6±2.6% mortality, respectively, toward adults.