Identification of a putative Mexican strain of Serratia entomophila pathogenic against root-damaging larvae of Scarabaeidae (Coleoptera).

ABSTRACT: The larvae of scarab beetles, known as "white grubs" and belonging to the genera Phyllophaga and Anomala (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), are regarded as soil-dwelling pests in Mexico. During a survey conducted to find pathogenic bacteria with the potential to control scarab larvae, a native Serratia sp. (strain Mor4.1) was isolated from a dead third-instar Phyllophaga blanchardi larva collected from a cornfield in Tres Marías, Morelos, Mexico. Oral bioassays using healthy P. blanchardi larvae fed with the Mor4.1 isolate showed that this strain was able to cause an antifeeding effect and a significant loss of weight. Mortality was observed for P. blanchardi, P. trichodes, and P. obsoleta in a multidose experiment. The Mor4.1 isolate also caused 100% mortality 24 h after intracoelomic inoculatio

SUBMITTER: Nunez-Valdez ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2227701 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature