Entomopathogenic Fungi Infecting Lepidopteran Larvae: A Case from Central Argentina.

ABSTRACT: Immature stages of insects are vulnerable to various antagonists, including pathogens. While the abiotic factors affecting pathogen prevalence in insect populations are reasonably well documented, much less is known about relevant ecological interactions. We studied the probability of the larvae of three lepidopteran species to die from fungal infection as a function of insect species and food plants in central Argentina. Local free-growing food plants were used to feed the lepidopteran larvae. The prevalence of entomopathogenic fungi remained low (about 5%), which is a value well consistent with observations on similar systems in other regions. Eight fungal species recorded, primarily belonging to Fusarium and Aspergillus, add evidence to the reconsideration of the nutritional modes in th

SUBMITTER: Gielen R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9322771 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature