Lecanicillium lecanii
Encyclopedia
Lecanicillium lecanii is now an approved name of an entomopathogenic fungus
species, that was previously widely known as Verticillium
lecanii (Zimmerman) Viegas), but is now understood to be an anamorphic form in the Cordyceps
group of genera in the Clavicipitaceae
. It now appears that isolate
s formerly classified as V. lecanii could be L. attenuatum, L. lecanii, L. longisporum, L. muscarium or L. nodulosum. For example, several recent papers, such as Kouvelis et al. who carried out mitochondrial DNA studies, refer to the name L. muscarium. L. lecanii itself appears primarily to be a pathogen of soft scale insects (Coccidae
).
The Index Fungorum
, referring to L. lecanii, lists the following synonymy:
This fungus was first described in 1861 and has a worldwide distribution. Insects are infected
when they come into contact with the sticky fungal spores which then grow and invade the body, thus the internal organs are consumed, leading to their death. In horticulture
and agriculture
L. lecanii is sometimes used as a biological pesticide for controlling insect pests such as whitefly
, thrips and aphid
s.
"V. lecanii" isolate
s were first developed by scientists at the Glasshouse Crops Research Institute (now Warwick HRI: formerly part of Horticulture Research International
): these are now marketed as 'Mycotal' (now L. muscarium) and 'Vertalec' (now L. longisporum) by Koppert in the Netherlands
(who provide good illustrations of the fungus). Other products based on this fungus have been developed elsewhere for use in cash crops, oil seeds, soybeans, ornamentals and vegetables.
Entomopathogenic fungus
An entomopathogenic fungus is a fungus that can act as a parasite of insects and kills or seriously disables them.-Typical life cycle:These fungi usually attach to the external body surface of insects in the form of microscopic spores...
species, that was previously widely known as Verticillium
Verticillium
Verticillium is a genus of fungi in the division Ascomycota, and are an anamorphic form of the Plectosphaerellaceae family. The genus used to include diverse groups comprising saprobes and parasites of higher plants, insects, nematodes, mollusc eggs and other fungi thus it can be seen that the...
lecanii (Zimmerman) Viegas), but is now understood to be an anamorphic form in the Cordyceps
Cordyceps
Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi that includes about 400 described species. All Cordyceps species are endoparasitoids, mainly on insects and other arthropods ; a few are parasitic on other fungi. The best known species of the genus is Cordyceps sinensis, first recorded as yartsa gunbu in...
group of genera in the Clavicipitaceae
Clavicipitaceae
Clavicipitaceae is a family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. It consists of 43 genera, and 321 species.-Phylogeny:Molecular phylogenetic analysis of multigene DNA sequence data indicates that the taxon, Clavicipitaceae, is paraphyletic, and consists of three well-defined clades, at least one...
. It now appears that isolate
Primary isolate
Primary isolate is a pure microbial or viral sample that has been obtained from an infected individual, rather than grown in a laboratory. In chemistry and bacteriology, the verb isolate means to obtain a pure chemical, bacteriological or viral sample...
s formerly classified as V. lecanii could be L. attenuatum, L. lecanii, L. longisporum, L. muscarium or L. nodulosum. For example, several recent papers, such as Kouvelis et al. who carried out mitochondrial DNA studies, refer to the name L. muscarium. L. lecanii itself appears primarily to be a pathogen of soft scale insects (Coccidae
Coccidae
The Coccidae are a family of scale insects belonging to the superfamily Coccoidea. They are commonly known as soft scales, wax scales or tortoise scales. The females are flat with elongated oval bodies and a smooth integument which may be covered with wax. In some genera they possess legs but in...
).
The Index Fungorum
Index Fungorum
Index Fungorum, an international project to index all formal names in the Fungi Kingdom. Somewhat comparable to the IPNI, but with more contributing institutions....
, referring to L. lecanii, lists the following synonymy:
- CephalosporiumAcremoniumAcremonium is a genus of Fungi in the Hypocreaceae family; it was previously known as "Cephalosporium".-Description:Acremonium species are usually slow growing and are initially compact and moist. Acremonium hyphae are fine and hyaline and produce mostly simple phialides. Their conidia are usually...
coccorum Petch, Trans. Br. mycol. Soc. 10: 175 (1925) [1924] - Cephalosporium dipterigenum Petch, Naturalist (Hull), ser. 3: 102 (1931)
- Cephalosporium lecanii Zimm., Teysmannia 9: 243 (1898)
- Cephalosporium lecanii f. coccorum (Petch) Bałazy, Borbäsia 14: 132 (1973)
- Cephalosporium subclavatum Petch, Trans. Br. mycol. Soc. 25: 262 (1942) [1941]
- CordycepsCordycepsCordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi that includes about 400 described species. All Cordyceps species are endoparasitoids, mainly on insects and other arthropods ; a few are parasitic on other fungi. The best known species of the genus is Cordyceps sinensis, first recorded as yartsa gunbu in...
confragosa (Mains) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, in Sung, Hywel-Jones, Sung, Luangsa-ard, Shrestha & Spatafora, Stud. Mycol. 57: 49 (2007) - Sporotrichum lichenicola Berk. & Broome, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 14(2): 102 (1875)
- TorrubiellaTorrubiellaTorrubiella is a genus of fungi within the Clavicipitaceae family.-External links:*...
confragosa Mains, Mycologia 41(3): 305 (1949) - VerticilliumVerticilliumVerticillium is a genus of fungi in the division Ascomycota, and are an anamorphic form of the Plectosphaerellaceae family. The genus used to include diverse groups comprising saprobes and parasites of higher plants, insects, nematodes, mollusc eggs and other fungi thus it can be seen that the...
coccorum (Petch) Westerd., CBS List of Cultures (Baarn): 103 (1935) - Verticillium lecanii (Zimm.) Viégas, Revista Inst. Café Sao Paulo 14: 754 (1939)
This fungus was first described in 1861 and has a worldwide distribution. Insects are infected
Infection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
when they come into contact with the sticky fungal spores which then grow and invade the body, thus the internal organs are consumed, leading to their death. In horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
L. lecanii is sometimes used as a biological pesticide for controlling insect pests such as whitefly
Whitefly
The whiteflies, comprising only the family Aleyrodidae, are small hemipterans. More than 1550 species have been described. Whiteflies typically feed on the underside of plant leaves.-Agricultural threat:...
, thrips and aphid
Aphid
Aphids, also known as plant lice and in Britain and the Commonwealth as greenflies, blackflies or whiteflies, are small sap sucking insects, and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions...
s.
"V. lecanii" isolate
Primary isolate
Primary isolate is a pure microbial or viral sample that has been obtained from an infected individual, rather than grown in a laboratory. In chemistry and bacteriology, the verb isolate means to obtain a pure chemical, bacteriological or viral sample...
s were first developed by scientists at the Glasshouse Crops Research Institute (now Warwick HRI: formerly part of Horticulture Research International
Horticulture Research International
Warwick HRI, formerly part of Horticulture Research International, is an United Kingdom organisation tasked with carrying out horticultural research and development and transferring the results to industry in England....
): these are now marketed as 'Mycotal' (now L. muscarium) and 'Vertalec' (now L. longisporum) by Koppert in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
(who provide good illustrations of the fungus). Other products based on this fungus have been developed elsewhere for use in cash crops, oil seeds, soybeans, ornamentals and vegetables.