Metarhizium acridum
Encyclopedia
Metarhizium acridum is the new name given to a group of fungal isolates
that are known to be virulent and specific to Acrididea. Previously, this species
has had variety
status in Metarhizium anisopliae
(var. acridum) and before that, reference was made to M. flavoviride
.
. Various research groups, including the international LUBILOSA
Programme http://www.lubilosa.org (which developed the product 'Green Muscle') have identified and addressed key technical challenges for exploitation of microbial control agents including: isolate selection, mass production and delivery systems (formulation
and application
). In other words, insect control (mortality) depends on factors like the number of spores applied against the insect host, the formulation and weather conditions. Oil-based formulations allow the application of fungal spores under dry conditions, and are compatible with existing Ultra-Low Volume
(ULV) application techniques for locust control
.
M. acridum is currently under consideration by the USDA for release in the Western U.S. for control of native grasshoppers and crickets.
Isolates
Isolates is a term used in developmental psychology and family studies, to describe members of a study group, usually child through young adult, who do not actively participate in cliques or friendship groups...
that are known to be virulent and specific to Acrididea. Previously, this species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
has had variety
Variety (biology)
In botanical nomenclature, variety is a taxonomic rank below that of species: as such, it gets a three-part infraspecific name....
status in Metarhizium anisopliae
Metarhizium anisopliae
Metarhizium anisopliae, formerly known as Entomophthora anisopliae , is a fungus that grows naturally in soils throughout the world and causes disease in various insects by acting as a parasite. Ilya I. Mechnikov named it after the insect species it was originally isolated from: the beetle...
(var. acridum) and before that, reference was made to M. flavoviride
Metarhizium flavoviride
Metarhizium flavoviride is the name given to a group of fungal isolates that are known to be virulent against Hemiptera and some Coleoptera...
.
Biology
M. acridum almost exclusively infects grasshoppers in the suborder Caelifera of the OrthopteraOrthoptera
Orthoptera is an order of insects with paurometabolous or incomplete metamorphosis, including the grasshoppers, crickets and locusts.Many insects in this order produce sound by rubbing their wings against each other or their legs, the wings or legs containing rows of corrugated bumps...
. Various research groups, including the international LUBILOSA
LUBILOSA
LUBILOSA was the name of a research programme that aimed at developing a biological alternative to the chemical control of locusts. This name is an acronym of the French title of the programme: Lutte Biologique contre les Locustes et les Sauteriaux...
Programme http://www.lubilosa.org (which developed the product 'Green Muscle') have identified and addressed key technical challenges for exploitation of microbial control agents including: isolate selection, mass production and delivery systems (formulation
Pesticide formulation
The biological activity of a pesticide, be it chemical or biological in nature, is determined by its active ingredient . Pesticide products very rarely consist of pure technical material. The AI is usually formulated with other materials and this is the product as sold, but it may be further...
and application
Pesticide application
Pesticide application refers to the practical way in which pesticides, are delivered to their biological targets...
). In other words, insect control (mortality) depends on factors like the number of spores applied against the insect host, the formulation and weather conditions. Oil-based formulations allow the application of fungal spores under dry conditions, and are compatible with existing Ultra-Low Volume
Ultra-low volume
The term Ultra-Low Volume is used in the context of pesticide application.Ultra-low volume application of pesticides has been defined as spraying at a of les than 5 L/ha for field crops or les than 50 L/ha for tree/bush crops...
(ULV) application techniques for locust control
Locust
Locusts are the swarming phase of short-horned grasshoppers of the family Acrididae. These are species that can breed rapidly under suitable conditions and subsequently become gregarious and migratory...
.
M. acridum is currently under consideration by the USDA for release in the Western U.S. for control of native grasshoppers and crickets.
Important Isolates
- IMI 330189 (= ARSEF 7486) is the ex-type of the species, originally collected from NigerNigerNiger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
: the active ingredient of 'Green Muscle' - CSIRO FI 485 (= ARSEF 324) is an Australian isolate: the active ingredient of 'Green Guard'.
See also
- MetarhiziumMetarhiziumMetarhizium is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, it has now become possible to place these fungi in proper taxa. Most turn out to be the asexual forms of fungi in the phylum Ascomycota.- Species :Nine distinct species have now...
- LUBILOSALUBILOSALUBILOSA was the name of a research programme that aimed at developing a biological alternative to the chemical control of locusts. This name is an acronym of the French title of the programme: Lutte Biologique contre les Locustes et les Sauteriaux...