11.5.1.3 Aphids
Several species of aphid, including Schizaphis graminum and Rhopalosiphum padi
(Hemiptera: Aphididae), are the most abundant species in the wheat fields
(Shayesteh et al. 2015; Karami et al. 2016). Also, Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis
noxia (Hemiptera: Aphididae), has been reported as an endemic pest in the majority
of the wheat producing areas of Iran (Rezwani 2010). Aphids are harmful in wheat
due to their effect on the grain protein by feeding on wheat and injecting toxic
enzymes into plants during feeding (Shayesteh et al. 2015). Application of EPFs can
be an ideal management tool to reduce the spread and incidence of these group of
pests because of inadequate efficiency of the parasitoids on aphids in cereal fields.
Also, exploring different aspects are recommended to evaluate the fungus application in field conditions.
Initially, under the laboratory conditions, efficacy of Iranian isolates of
M. anisopliae, A. muscarius, Lecanicillium aphanocladii (Ascomycota: Hypocreales)
and B. bassiana against D. noxia were demonstrated by Mohammadipour et al.
(2009). Several surveys were also conducted to evaluate the effect of different isolates
of EPF on bird cherry oat aphid, R. padi in different conditions. The first such study
(Sedighi et al. 2012) examined the effects of seven Iranian isolates of B. bassiana
(DEBI001, DEBI002, DEBI003, DEBI004, DEBI008, DEBI010, DEBI015,) on the
adult R. padi, under laboratory conditions. The lowest and the highest LC50s were
0.059 and 162.28 spores ml
À1
, respectively, and the shortest and longest LT50s were
2.08 and 4.57 days, respectively, with DEBI001 and DEBI002 isolates.
Fadayivatan et al. (2014) found significantly different susceptibilities between
two cereal aphids, Sipha maydis and Metopolophium dirhudum (Heteroptera:
Aphididae) to A. dipterigenus isolate LRC 190 under greenhouse conditions. The
results indicated that both aphid populations were significantly decreased, and the
estimated LC50 and other parameters indicated that A. dipterigenus was more
virulent to S. maydis than to M. dirhudum.
Recently, Mossavi et al. (2016) evaluated the effect of different isolates of
B. bassiana including IRAN429C, IRAN108 and LRC127 on the life table parameters of adult S. graminum under laboratory conditions. Adult death percentages had
significant difference among all isolates; IRAN429C caused the highest death rate of
adults. As expected, with increasing the fungal concentration, death rate increased.
Life expectancy (e x ) in adults for control, IRAN429C and IRAN108 isolate were
28.25, 13.65 and 17.1 day, respectively. Net reproductive rate (R 0 ) among aphids in
the IRAN429C and IRAN108 treatments were 19.9 and 25.5 (females/female/
generation), which decreased significantly compared to the control (61.6). There is
no difference among the finite rate of increase (λ) for those two isolates of fungus.
Moreover, Ebadollahi et al. (2017) studied A. muscarius effects on the melon
aphid, Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory conditions. The
pathogenic fungus and both essential oils had useful toxicity against A. gossypii.
Aphid mortality also increased when the essential oils were combined with
11 Fungal Entomopathogens of Order Hypocreales
455
Several species of aphid, including Schizaphis graminum and Rhopalosiphum padi
(Hemiptera: Aphididae), are the most abundant species in the wheat fields
(Shayesteh et al. 2015; Karami et al. 2016). Also, Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis
noxia (Hemiptera: Aphididae), has been reported as an endemic pest in the majority
of the wheat producing areas of Iran (Rezwani 2010). Aphids are harmful in wheat
due to their effect on the grain protein by feeding on wheat and injecting toxic
enzymes into plants during feeding (Shayesteh et al. 2015). Application of EPFs can
be an ideal management tool to reduce the spread and incidence of these group of
pests because of inadequate efficiency of the parasitoids on aphids in cereal fields.
Also, exploring different aspects are recommended to evaluate the fungus application in field conditions.
Initially, under the laboratory conditions, efficacy of Iranian isolates of
M. anisopliae, A. muscarius, Lecanicillium aphanocladii (Ascomycota: Hypocreales)
and B. bassiana against D. noxia were demonstrated by Mohammadipour et al.
(2009). Several surveys were also conducted to evaluate the effect of different isolates
of EPF on bird cherry oat aphid, R. padi in different conditions. The first such study
(Sedighi et al. 2012) examined the effects of seven Iranian isolates of B. bassiana
(DEBI001, DEBI002, DEBI003, DEBI004, DEBI008, DEBI010, DEBI015,) on the
adult R. padi, under laboratory conditions. The lowest and the highest LC50s were
0.059 and 162.28 spores ml
À1
, respectively, and the shortest and longest LT50s were
2.08 and 4.57 days, respectively, with DEBI001 and DEBI002 isolates.
Fadayivatan et al. (2014) found significantly different susceptibilities between
two cereal aphids, Sipha maydis and Metopolophium dirhudum (Heteroptera:
Aphididae) to A. dipterigenus isolate LRC 190 under greenhouse conditions. The
results indicated that both aphid populations were significantly decreased, and the
estimated LC50 and other parameters indicated that A. dipterigenus was more
virulent to S. maydis than to M. dirhudum.
Recently, Mossavi et al. (2016) evaluated the effect of different isolates of
B. bassiana including IRAN429C, IRAN108 and LRC127 on the life table parameters of adult S. graminum under laboratory conditions. Adult death percentages had
significant difference among all isolates; IRAN429C caused the highest death rate of
adults. As expected, with increasing the fungal concentration, death rate increased.
Life expectancy (e x ) in adults for control, IRAN429C and IRAN108 isolate were
28.25, 13.65 and 17.1 day, respectively. Net reproductive rate (R 0 ) among aphids in
the IRAN429C and IRAN108 treatments were 19.9 and 25.5 (females/female/
generation), which decreased significantly compared to the control (61.6). There is
no difference among the finite rate of increase (λ) for those two isolates of fungus.
Moreover, Ebadollahi et al. (2017) studied A. muscarius effects on the melon
aphid, Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory conditions. The
pathogenic fungus and both essential oils had useful toxicity against A. gossypii.
Aphid mortality also increased when the essential oils were combined with
11 Fungal Entomopathogens of Order Hypocreales
455