Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Production of cuticle degrading enzymes by Isaria fumosorosea and their evaluation as a biocontrol agent against diamondback moth

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Pest Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Production and biocontrol efficacy of culture filtrates containing cuticle degrading enzymes from three isolates of Isaria fumosorosea against diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) was observed during this study. This fungus when cultured in liquid medium having different carbon sources showed maximum biomass production when 1% chitin was added as carbon source. These isolates when grown in liquid culture conditions having 1% chitin as source produced cuticular degrading enzymes (proteases (Pr1 and Pr2), chitinases, chitosanase, and lipase) in a sequential manner and the production of these enzymes differed from control. Biocontrol assays with P. xylostella showed that the culture filtrates of I. fumosorosea were potent antifeedants because reduction in the feeding rate and body weight of the larvae was observed. Similarly, reduction in rates of successful pupation, adult emergence was observed when the culture filtrates were applied topically. At the end of the test period, the lowest ST50 value (1.57 ± 0.20 days) was recorded for insect groups treated with culture filtrates from isolate IF28.2 when compared to the control. In view of the need for safer and environmentally friendly pest management tools, the present study can help in the development of enzyme-based biopesticides against P. xylostella.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ali S, Huang Z, Ren SX (2009) Media composition influences on growth, enzyme activity and virulence of the entomopathogen hyphomycetes Isaria fumosorosea. Entomol Exp Appl 131:30–38

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Altre JA, Vandenberg JD, Cantone FA (1999) Pathogenicity of Paecilomyces fumosorosea isolates to diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella: correlation with spore size, germination speed, and attachment to cuticle. J Invert Pathol 73:332–338

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Binod P, Sukumaran RK, Shirke SV, Rajpur JC, Pandey A (2007) Evaluation of fungal culture filtrate containing chitinase as a biocontrol agent against Helicoverpa armigera. J Appl Microbiol 103:1845–1852

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantification of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 72:248–254

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brandt CR, Adang MJ, Spence KD (1978) The peritrophic membrane: ultrastructural analysis and function as a mechanical barrier to microbial infection in Orgyia pseudotsugata. J Invert Pathol 32:12–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brey PT, Latge JP, Prevost MC (1986) Intergumental penetration of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisium, by Conidiobolus obscurus (Entomophthoraceae). J Invert Pathol 48:34–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cherry AJ, Mercadier G, Meikle W, Castelo-Branco M, Schroer S (2004) The role of entomopathogens in DBM biological control. Improving biocontrol of Plutella xylostella. In: Kirk AA, Bordat D (eds) Procceedings of international symposium. Montpellier, France, pp 51–70

  • Clarkson JM, Charnley AK (1996) New insights into mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis in insects. Trends Microbiol 4:197–204

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El-Sayed GN, Coudron TA, Ignoffo CM, Riba G (1989) Chitinolytic activity and virulence associated with native and mutant isolates of an entomopathogenic fungus Nomuraea rileyi. J Invert Pathol 54:394–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferré J, van Rie J (2002) Biochemistry and genetics of insect resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis. Ann Rev Entomol 47:501–533

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillespie JP, Bateman R, Charnley K (1998) Role of cuticle degrading proteases in the virulence of Metarhizium spp. for the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria. J Invert Pathol 7:1128–1137

    Google Scholar 

  • Henrik US, Pittendrigh BR, Kroymann J, Weniger K, Fritsche J, Antje BA, Mitchell-Olds T (2000) Induced plant defense responses against chewing insects. Ethylene signaling reduces resistance of arabidopsis against Egyptian cotton worm but not diamondback moth. Plant Physiol 124:1007–1018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibrahim YB, Low W (1993) Potential of mass-production and field efficacy of isolates of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Paecilomyes fumosorosea against Plutella xylostella. Int J Pest Manag 39:288–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kramer KJ, Muthukrishnan S (1997) Insect chitinases: molecular biology and potential use as biopesticides. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 27:887–900

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu SY (2006) Investigating and screening the intensive pathogenicity of the fungi in genera Paecilomyces and Metarhizium, Masters thesis. Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P.R. China

  • Luangsa-Ard JJ, Hywel-Jones NL, Manoch L, Samson RA (2005) On the relationships of Paecilomyces sect. Isarioidea species. Mycol Res 109:581–589

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller GL (1959) Use of dinitrosalicylic acid for estimation of reducing sugar. Anal Chem 31:426–428

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muhammad S, Andrew BK, Lloyd MD (2005) Biological control of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella: a review. Biocontrol Sci Technol 15:763–789

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pell JK, Wilding N, Player AL, Clark SJ (1993) Selection of an isolate of Zoophthora radicans (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) for biocontrol of the diamondback moth. J Invert Pathol 61:75–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pignede G, Wang H, Fudalei F (2000) Characterization of an extracellular lipase encoded by LIP2 in Yarrowia lipolytica. J Bacteriol 182:2802–2810

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Qazi SS, Khachatourians GG (2007) Hydrated conidia of Metarhizium anisopliae release family of metalloproteases. J Invert Pathol 95:48–59

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qazi SS, Khachatourians GG (2008) Addition of exogenous carbon and nitrogen sources to aphid exuviae modulates synthesis of proteases and chitinase by germinating conidia of Beauveria bassiana. Arch Microbiol 189:589–596

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Regev A, Keller M, Strizhov N, Sneh B, Prudovsky E, Chet I, Ginzberg I, Koncz-Kalman Z (1996) Synergistic activity of a Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin and a bacterial endochitinase against Spodoptera littoralis larvae. Appl Environ Microbiol 62:3581–3586

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts WA, Seletrenikoff CP (1988) Plant and bacterial chitinase differ in antifungal activity. J Gen Microbiol 134:169–176

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Samuels RI, Paterson IC (1995) Cuticle degrading proteases from insect moulting fluid and culture filtrates of entomopathogenic fungi. Comp Biochem Physiol 110:661–669

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (2000) SAS user’s guide. Statistics. SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina

    Google Scholar 

  • Shahabuddin M, Toyoshima T, Aikawa M, Kaslow DC (1993) Transmission-blocking activity of a chitinase inhibitor and activation of malarial parasite chitinase by mosquito protease. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 90:4266–4270

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Shelton AM, Wyman JA, Cushing NL, Apfelbeck K, Dennehy TJ, Mahr S, Eigenbrode SD (1993) Insecticide resistance of diamondback moth in North America. J Econ Entomol 86:11–19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smirnoff WA (1974) Three years of aerial field experiments with Bacillus thuringiensis plus chitinase formulation against the spruce bud worm. J Invert Pathol 24:344–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • St. Leger RJ, Charnley AK, Cooper RM (1986a) Cuticle-degrading enzymes of entomopathogenic fungi mechanisms of interaction between pathogen enzymes and insect cuticle. J Invert Pathol 47:295–302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • St. Leger RJ, Cooper RM, Charnley AK (1986b) Cuticle-degrading enzymes of entomopathogenic fungi—regulation of production of chitinolytic enzymes. J Gen Microbiol 132:1509–1517

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • St. Leger RJ, Durrands PK, Charnley AK, Cooper RM (1988) Role of extracellular chymoelastase in the virulence of Metarhizium anisopliae for Manduca sexta. J Invert Pathol 52:285–293

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • St. Leger RJ, Staples RC, Roberts DW (1991) Changes in translatable mRNA species associated with nutrient deprivation and protease synthesis in Metarhixiurn anisopliae. J Gen Microbiol 137:807–815

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • St. Leger RJ, Joshi L, Bidochka M, Rizzo MJ, Roberts DW (1996) Biochemical characterization and ultrastructural localization of two extracellular trypsins produced by Metarhizium anisopliae in infected insect cuticles. Appl Environ Microbiol 62:1257–1264

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Syed AR (1992) Insecticide resistance on diamondback moth in Malaysia, Diamondback Moth and Other Crucifer Pests. In: Talekar NS (eds) Proceedings of 2nd international workshop, AVRDC, Taiwan, pp 437–442

  • Tabashnik BE (1994) Evolution of resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis. Ann Rev Entomol 39:7–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vandenberg JD, Ramos MR (1997) Screening of fungal isolates against diamondback moth larvae. Arthropod Manag Tests 22:420–421

    Google Scholar 

  • Vandenberg JD, Ramos MR, Altre J (1998) Dose-response and age and temperature-related susceptibility of the diamondback month (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) to two isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Hyphomycetes: Moniliaceae). Environ Entomol 64:1402–1412

    Google Scholar 

  • Wraight SP, Carruthers RJ, Bradley CA, Garza CJ, Galani-Wraight S (2000) Evaluation of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Paecilomyces fumosorosea for microbial control of the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii. Biol Control 17:203–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright DJ (2004) Biological control of Plutella xylostella—a global perspective. Improving biocontrol of Plutella xylostella. In: Kirk AA, Bodart D (eds) Proceedings of international symposium. Montpellier, France, pp 9–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu YY, Liu TX, Leibee GL, Jones WA (2004) Effects of selected insecticides on Diadegma insulare (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a parasitoid of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Biocontrol Sci Technol 14:713–723

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by grants from the Chinese National Basic Research Program (called 973 Program) (No. 2006CB102005), Public sector specific research projects (No. 200803005) and the eleventh five year forest support program of China (No. 2006BAD08A1903).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Engineering Research Center of Biological Control, Ministry of Education, College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Wushan Road, Guangzhou City, 510642, People’s Republic of China

    Shaukat Ali, Zhen Huang & Shunxiang Ren

Authors
  1. Shaukat Ali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhen Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shunxiang Ren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shunxiang Ren.

Additional information

Communicated by S.T. Jaronski.

Zhen Huang is joint first author.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ali, S., Huang, Z. & Ren, S. Production of cuticle degrading enzymes by Isaria fumosorosea and their evaluation as a biocontrol agent against diamondback moth. J Pest Sci 83, 361–370 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-010-0305-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-010-0305-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation