Role of Entomopathogenic Fungi in the Defense Mechanisms of Zea mays L. and the Management of Dalbulus maidis (DeLong & Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

• Grant number: 25/01824-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Aline Sartori Guidolin
• Grantee: Luís Augusto Calsavara Costa
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The corn leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis) is a vector of diseases that cause significant losses in corn production in Latin America and the USA. Control of D. maidis using insecticides has often resulted in field failures and raises environmental concerns. Promising alternatives for pest control that address these issues include entomopathogenic fungi such as Metarhizium robertsii, Metarhizium brunneum, and Metarhizium anisopliae. In addition to causing mortality in pest insects, these fungi can promote plant growth and induce systemic resistance. Plant defense pathways can negatively affect herbivores, serving as a strategy for controlling D. maidis populations.The objective of this study is to evaluate the endophytic potential of isolates of M. robertsii, M. brunneum, and M. anisopliae in promoting maize growth and controlling D. maidis through induced plant resistance. Bioassays will assess the endophytic capacity of selected isolates and their effects on maize development, as well as their impact on D. maidis oviposition and mortality. Additionally, changes in the gene expression of plant defense pathways will be investigated in parallel with fungal isolate inoculation and D. maidis infection. The study aims to confirm the viability of these fungi as endophytes and maize growth promoters, as well as their potential for D. maidis control through the overexpression of jasmonic acid and salicylic acid pathways. (AU)