UV-B radiation reduces in vitro germination of Metarhizium anisopliae s.l. but does not affect virulence in fungus-treated Aedes aegypti adults and development on dead mosquitoes.

FALVO M.L.; LÓPEZ LASTRA C.C.; LUZ C.; RODRIGUES J.; FERNANDES E.K.K.; PEREIRA-JUNIOR R.A.; GARCÍA J.J.

JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2016 p. 1710 - 1721

1364-5072

Aims: Control of diurnal Aedes aegypti with mycoinsecticides should considerthe exposure of fungus-treated adults to sunlight, and especially to UV-B radiationthat might affect activity of conidia applied on the mosquito´s surface. Methods andresults: Germination of M. anisopliae s.l. IP 46 conidia on SDAY medium was notaffected at the lowest level of radiation with UV-B, 0.69 kJ m-2, but was retarded andreduced at higher 2.075 and 4.15 kJ m-2, and completely inhibited at ≥ 8.3 kJ m-2. Incontrast, germination of conidia applied onto fiberglass nettings and exposed from 0?16.6 kJ m-2 did not differ significantly among among levels of irradiance exposureand the controls. There was also no significant impact of UV-B up to 16.6 kJ m-2 onadulticidal activity of IP and on the subsequent conidiogenesis on cadavers. TheQuaite weighted UV-B irradiance in the laboratory (1152 mW m?2 ) was higher thanthe natural sunlight irradiance observed in the city of Goiânia in Central Brazil onmidday (706 mW m?2 in August to 911 mW m?2 in October 2015).Conclusions: UV-B does not impair the activity of IP 46 conidia applied previously toradiation on A. aegypti adults.Significance and Impact of Study: Findings contribute to a better understanding of theeffectiveness of M. anisopliae against day-active A. aegypti and its potential forbiological mosquito control.