Sporulation of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana on Coptotermes formosanus and in vitro

• Published in: Journal of invertebrate pathology 2002-10, Vol.81 (2), p.78-85
• Main Authors: Sun, Jianzhong, Fuxa, James R, Henderson, Gregg
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Beauveria bassiana; Biological and medical sciences; Entomogenous fungi; Formosan subterranean termite; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Growth, nutrition, metabolism, transports, enzymes. Molecular biology; In Vitro Techniques; Invertebrates; Isoptera - microbiology; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Metarhizium anisopliae; Microbiology; Mitosporic Fungi - growth & development; Mitosporic Fungi - physiology; Mycology; Pest Control, Biological; Pests of stored products; Species Specificity; Spores, Fungal - growth & development; Sporulation
• ISSN: 0022-2011; 1096-0805
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-2011(02)00152-0

The sporulation of 22 total isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana was quantified on cadavers of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus. Conidial production increased significantly over 11 days post-death. Effects of isolates of M. anisopliae and B. bassiana on in vivo sporulation were significant. Although the overall effects of fungal species on in vivo sporulation were not significant, the interactions between fungal species and certain times post-death were significant, indicating different sporulation patterns between the two fungal species. B. bassiana isolates could be categorized into a group with high total sporulation (day 11) and low quick sporulation (on days 2 and 3), while M. anisopliae isolates fell into another group with high quick sporulation and low total sporulation. This could give M. anisopliae an advantage over B. bassiana in termite microbial control due to termite defensive social behaviors. Conidial production was significantly higher in vitro than in vivo. In vitro and in vivo sporulation differed by as much as 89× and 232× among the selected isolates of B. bassiana and M. anisopliae, respectively. Correlation between in vivo and in vitro conidial production was positive and significant. This may allow preliminary in vitro screening of a large number of isolates for high in vivo sporulation.