Natural occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) of aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) pests of horticultural crops in Argentina.

SCORSETTI, A.C.; HUMBER, R.A.; GARCÍA, J.J.; LÓPEZ LASTRA, C.C.

BIOCONTROL (DORDRECHT)

Springer

Año: 2006 vol. 00 p. 1 - 18

1386-6141

Abstract: A three-year survey of entomophthoralean pathogenic fungi of aphids from horticultural crops in La Plata, Argentina, was conducted. Nine species of aphids, including Aphis fabae Scopoli, Aphis gossypii Glover, Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach), Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas), Myzus sp., Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley) and Capitophorus elaeagni (del Guercio) were recorded as host of entomopathogenic fungi. Six species of Entomophthorales that infected and killed aphids were found in vegetable crops. The fungal species identified were Conidiobolus obscurus (Hall & Dunn) Remaudière & Keller, Entomophthora planchoniana Cornu, Neozygites fresenii (Nowakowski) Remaudière & Keller, Pandora neoaphidis (Remaudière & Hennebert) Humber, Zoophthora radicans (Brefeld) Batko and Zoophthora sp. P. neoaphidis was the most predominant pathogen of aphids and was found throughout the summer (December-March) 2004. The recovery of C. obscurus, N. fresenii and P. neoaphidis represent first records of these fungi for South America.