B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, I. fumosorosea and A. lecanii. Within 6 h spores of
B. bassiana had the highest effects on the number of circulating hemocytes, although
the highest number of granulocytes and plasmatocytes were observed 3–6 h post
injection. The B. bassiana induced the highest increase in phenoloxidase activity
between 1 and 12 h post injection. Finally, they detected antimicrobial peptide
activity in the hemolymph of larvae.
Virulence of ten fungal isolates consisting of eight Iranian isolates and two
foreign isolates of B. bassiana on Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae
was determined by Safavi et al. (2010). Their BEH isolate had the greatest mortality,
a mean of 57.7%. Other isolates, such as EVIN I and DEBI007, were scored lower,
with 42.7% and 53.4% percent mortality, respectively.
More recently, Fazeli-Dinan et al. (2012) investigated the pathogenicity of four
Iranian B. bassiana isolates (DEBI001, DEBI003, DEBI007 and DEBI008) on rice
green semi looper (N. aenescens) using two methods, dipping and spraying. In
dipping method, DEBI003 isolate at concentration of 1 Â 10
7 (spores ml
À1 ) caused
the highest rate of mortality, at 50.8%, compared to other treatments. In spraying,
DEBI003 isolate had the most impact on N. aenescens larvae with a 41.3% mortality.
So with both methods, this isolate showed the greatest efficacy. With older larval
instars, mortality decreased; the LC50 of DEBI003 on second instar larvae was
8.1 Â 10
7 spores ml
À1 . Due to importance of N. aenescens on rice where its larval
feeding causes the reduction of photosynthesis levels and thereby reducing plant
efficiency, Aboutalebian et al. (2017) evaluated the mortality of N. aenescens at
different larval instars with Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, B. bassiana and
M. anisopliae and control (water) in field conditions on Tarom rice variety. Based on
their result, B. thuringiensis and B. bassiana had high impact in controlling the pest
in the field and can be used within pest management program.
Overall, fungal application in rice is promising due to suitable conditions namely
humidity. Moreover, the rice farmers are familiar with biocontrol because most of
them have experience in application of Trichogramma as an initial biocontrol. Based
on recent national standards for organic farming, appropriate formulations and
application methods could be potential research line for this area.
11.5.3 Beet Pests
The sugar beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major
pest of many agricultural crops in tropical and semitropical areas of the world. The
intensive feeding of larvae on leaves can cause significant yield loss and defoliating
small plants and frequently causing economic damage (Talaee et al. 2017; Darsouei
et al. 2018).
Ajamhassani (2014) investigated cellular immune response of fourth-instar larvae
of S. exigua to two isolates of B. bassiana (Fashand and 566). Total number of
plasmatocytes, granulocytes and vermicytes reached a maximum in 3–6 h post
injection. Then total hemocyte decreased gradually. Prohemocytes decreased within
11 Fungal Entomopathogens of Order Hypocreales
457
B. bassiana had the highest effects on the number of circulating hemocytes, although
the highest number of granulocytes and plasmatocytes were observed 3–6 h post
injection. The B. bassiana induced the highest increase in phenoloxidase activity
between 1 and 12 h post injection. Finally, they detected antimicrobial peptide
activity in the hemolymph of larvae.
Virulence of ten fungal isolates consisting of eight Iranian isolates and two
foreign isolates of B. bassiana on Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae
was determined by Safavi et al. (2010). Their BEH isolate had the greatest mortality,
a mean of 57.7%. Other isolates, such as EVIN I and DEBI007, were scored lower,
with 42.7% and 53.4% percent mortality, respectively.
More recently, Fazeli-Dinan et al. (2012) investigated the pathogenicity of four
Iranian B. bassiana isolates (DEBI001, DEBI003, DEBI007 and DEBI008) on rice
green semi looper (N. aenescens) using two methods, dipping and spraying. In
dipping method, DEBI003 isolate at concentration of 1 Â 10
7 (spores ml
À1 ) caused
the highest rate of mortality, at 50.8%, compared to other treatments. In spraying,
DEBI003 isolate had the most impact on N. aenescens larvae with a 41.3% mortality.
So with both methods, this isolate showed the greatest efficacy. With older larval
instars, mortality decreased; the LC50 of DEBI003 on second instar larvae was
8.1 Â 10
7 spores ml
À1 . Due to importance of N. aenescens on rice where its larval
feeding causes the reduction of photosynthesis levels and thereby reducing plant
efficiency, Aboutalebian et al. (2017) evaluated the mortality of N. aenescens at
different larval instars with Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, B. bassiana and
M. anisopliae and control (water) in field conditions on Tarom rice variety. Based on
their result, B. thuringiensis and B. bassiana had high impact in controlling the pest
in the field and can be used within pest management program.
Overall, fungal application in rice is promising due to suitable conditions namely
humidity. Moreover, the rice farmers are familiar with biocontrol because most of
them have experience in application of Trichogramma as an initial biocontrol. Based
on recent national standards for organic farming, appropriate formulations and
application methods could be potential research line for this area.
11.5.3 Beet Pests
The sugar beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major
pest of many agricultural crops in tropical and semitropical areas of the world. The
intensive feeding of larvae on leaves can cause significant yield loss and defoliating
small plants and frequently causing economic damage (Talaee et al. 2017; Darsouei
et al. 2018).
Ajamhassani (2014) investigated cellular immune response of fourth-instar larvae
of S. exigua to two isolates of B. bassiana (Fashand and 566). Total number of
plasmatocytes, granulocytes and vermicytes reached a maximum in 3–6 h post
injection. Then total hemocyte decreased gradually. Prohemocytes decreased within
11 Fungal Entomopathogens of Order Hypocreales
457