Native entomopathogenic Metarhizium spp. from Burkina Faso and their virulence against the malaria vector Anopheles coluzzii and non-target insects.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Genetically enhanced Metarhizium pingshaense are being developed for malaria vector control in Burkina Faso. However, not much is known about the local prevalence and pathogenicity of this fungus, so we prospected mosquitoes and plant roots (a common habitat for Metarhizium spp.) for entomopathogenic fungi.

Results

Our investigations showed that Metarhizium spp. represented between 29-74% of fungi isolated from plant root rhizospheres in diverse collection sites. At low spore dosages (1 × 10⁶ conidia/ml), two mosquito-derived M. pingshaense isolates (Met_S26 and Met_S10) showed greater virulence against Anopheles coluzzii (LT₈₀ of ~7 days) than isolates tested in previous studies (LT₈₀ of ~10 days). In addition, the local isolates

SUBMITTER: Bilgo E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5870526 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature