Abstract

Isolation and identification of novel entomopathogenic fungal strains of the Beauveria and Metarhizium generous

Author(s): Marily Gonz�¡lez Castillo, Ismael Amaya Rivera, Angclica Berlanga Padilla, Faustino Lara Victoriano, Crist��bal N.Aguilar, Ra�ºl Rodrguez Herrera

In this work, the isolation, morphological and molecular identification of new entomopathogenic fungal strains were performed. The fungal strains were isolated from12 soils samples collected at three agriculturalMexican regions: Saltillo and Torreon, Coahuila and Mexico City using Tenebrio molitor larvae as host. Only four of all isolates strains were identified as entomophatogenic according to the morphological characterization. In addition, 11 entomopathogenic fungal strains were isolated directly from dead insects, in addition as control were used 5 fungal strains belonging to theAppliedMicrobiology Center (CEMAP) GreenCorp Biorganiks de México SA de CV. All fungal strains were identified through the 18S rRNA sequencing and comparing with those deposited in the NCBI database through BLAST tool. Three 3 strains fromagricultural soilswere identified as Metarhizium anisopliae and only one as Cordyceps brongniartii. From dead insects, 7 strains were identified as Beauveria bassiana, 2 as C. brongniartii and 2 more as M. anisopliae. The phylogenetic analyses confirmed the close relationship among the strains identified as B. bassiana and among those M. anisopliae strains and shows that some of these entomopathogenic fungi are novel strains which may have potential as biological insecticides for different insect pests.