Pathogenicity of Aspergillus westerdijkiae to females and oothecae of Periplaneta Americana

Author(s)

Baggio, Mariah Valente ^[1] ; Ferreira, Marcelo da Costa ^[1] ; Monteiro, Antonio Carlos ^[2] ; Maldonado Junior, Walter ^[2] ; Franco Lemos, Manoel Victor ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista Julio Mesquita Filho UNESP, FCAV, Dept Fitossanidade, NEDTA, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP - Brazil

^[2] UNESP, FCAV, Dept Prod Vegetal, Jaboticabal, SP - Brazil

^[3] UNESP, FCAV, Dept Biol Aplicada Agropecuaria, Jaboticabal, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Ciência Rural; v. 46, n. 1, p. 20-25, JAN 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Cockroach control is performed by the application of chemical insecticides which exert high selective pressure on populations and introduces synthetic substances in the environment, motivating the search for other methods of control such as entomopathogenic fungi. The objectives of this study were to investigate the pathogenicity of the JAB 42 Aspergillus westerdijkiae to females and oothecae of Periplaneta americana and to demonstrate its mechanism of action on oothecae. Suspensions containing 106 to 108 conidia/ml were used to infect females and oothecae. Mortality and other variables such as scanning electron microscopy were used to demonstrate the mechanism of action of the fungus. The isolated JAB 42 A. westerdijkiae is pathogenic to oothecae of P. americana, with low capacity to kill females. Adhesion, germination, penetration and extrusion of the fungus on the cockroach oothecae were observed. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/14503-1 - Control of populations of Periplantea americana (Linnaeus, 1758)(Blattodea: Blattidae) using fogging of chemical or biological inseticides
• Grantee: Marcelo da Costa Ferreira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants