Abstract

Background

Trichoderma asperellum (Ascomycota: Hypocreaceae) is a globally recognized soil fungus due to its broad-spectrum antimicrobial and plant growth-promoting properties. To increase the availability of local strains, soil samples from a dragon fruit farm in Villanueva (Misamis Oriental, Philippines) were collected and baited using the insect-baiting technique.

Results

Using the baiting technique, T. asperellum strain, RMCK01, was isolated. The strain was characterized using morphological and molecular data and its biological control potential was tested using different conidial concentrations on the last larval instar of the super worm, Zophobas morio (Fabricius, 1776) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The ITS1 sequences of T. asperellum RMCK01 were 100% identical to the sequences of other T. asperellum isolates reported from Vietnam, India, Thailand, and China. In addition, T. asperellum RMCK01 was particularly efficient against Z. morio larvae. On day 21, 88.87%, 88.07%, and 86.73% of insects died when treated with a suspension containing 6 × 108, 3 × 109, and 2.68 × 107 conidia/ml, respectively.

Conclusion

The study highlights the potential of this fungal isolate as a biocontrol agent against insect pests.

Details

Title
Morphological and molecular identification of Trichoderma asperellum isolated from a dragon fruit farm in the southern Philippines and its pathogenicity against the larvae of the super worm, Zophobas morio (Fabricius, 1776) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)
Author
Rea, Sebumpan 1 ; Guiritan, Kevin Rey 1 ; Mayvel, Suan 1 ; Abapo, Christine Jean 2 ; Bhat, Aashaq Hussain 3 ; Machado, Ricardo A, R 3 ; Prakaijan, Nimkingrat 4 ; Sumaya, Nanette Hope 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

1  Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Iligan City, Philippines (GRID:grid.449125.f) (ISNI:0000 0001 0170 9976); Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, FBL-Nematology Research Group, Premier Research Institute of Science and Mathematics, Iligan City, Philippines (GRID:grid.449125.f) (ISNI:0000 0001 0170 9976) 
2  Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Iligan City, Philippines (GRID:grid.449125.f) (ISNI:0000 0001 0170 9976) 
3  University of Neuchâtel, Experimental Biology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Neuchâtel, Switzerland (GRID:grid.10711.36) (ISNI:0000 0001 2297 7718) 
4  Khon Kaen University, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Muang District, Thailand (GRID:grid.9786.0) (ISNI:0000 0004 0470 0856) 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
Dec 2022
Publisher
Springer Nature B.V.
ISSN
1110-1768
e-ISSN
2536-9342
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-022-00548-0
ProQuest document ID
2654976205
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.