Pathogenicity of commercial entomopathogenic fungal strains on the avocado seed borer (ASB), Heilipus lauri (Coleoptera:
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Pathogenicity of commercial entomopathogenic fungal strains on the avocado seed borer (ASB), Heilipus lauri (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) under laboratory conditions Andrea P. Clavijo 1 & Claudia M. Holguin 1 Received: 10 December 2019 / Accepted: 18 May 2020 # The Author(s) 2020
Abstract The avocado seed borer, (ASB) Heilipus lauri Boheman 1845 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an official quarantine pest limiting avocado production and fruit exports from Colombia to pest-free countries. To provide alternatives to manage ASB, the objective of this study was to determine the potential use of commercial strains of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae as biological control agents of this pest. Pathogenicity of the strains was evaluated by complete immersion of the insect in a spore solution (direct inoculation) or by insect contact with inoculated fruit (indirect inoculation). The B. bassiana strain caused higher mortality (DF = 3, F = 25.7, P = 0.0002), showing an almost eight-fold increase, 55% and 79% mortality, for both concentrations used, 2.5 × 108 spores/mL or 2.5 × 109 spores/mL, respectively. Additionally, the B. bassiana strain showed shorter median survivorship using direct inoculation (15.8 to 8.7 days), a longer delay in the feeding initiation time (50 h), and a decrease in the fruit intake (Anti-feeding index above 50) after indirect inoculation. To our knowledge, this is the first report about the pathogenicity of a commercial B. bassiana strain against ASB in Colombia. Keywords Avocado seed weevil . Biological control . Beauveria bassiana . Mortality . Sublethal effects
Introduction The rapid increase of worldwide demand (FAOSTAT 2016) for avocado (Persea americana Mill) has positioned this crop in an important place in Colombian economy (AGRONET 2016). Currently, most of the Colombian avocado exports are directed towards European Union countries, but new targets have been reached to expand its commerce, such as the United States and Japan. One of the main insect pests that restricts exportation and has been recognized as a threat to avocado production in the U.S is the avocado weevil or avocado seed borer (ASB) Heilipus lauri Boheman, 1845 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) (Hoddle 2011). This pest was initially reported in Mexico
* Claudia M. Holguin [email protected] 1
Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria, Agrosavia. Centro de Investigación La Selva, Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia
(McKenzie 1935) and since then has been found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, among others (Wolfenberger and Colburn 1966; EPPO 1970). In Colombia, ASB has been reported in the main regions of avocado production and has been found in a wide altitudinal range across the country (Corpoica 2013), which has led it to be classified as an official control pest and resulted in more rigorous control measurements to avoid its spread. Survival of this insect depends on the availability of avocado fruits (Diaz et al. 2017) and it has shown a preference for t
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