Establishment of the fungal entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana as an endophyte in cocoa pods (Theobroma cacao L.)

The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana was re-isolated from surface sterilized pieces of the cocoa pod outer section and peduncle, two and three months after flowers of greenhouse cocoa plants were hand-pollinated and sprayed with a 1x107 mL-1 suspension of B. bassianaconidia. The colonization frequency of B. bassiana on cocoa pods was 0.8% and 1.3% two and three months post-spraying of conidial suspension, respectively. These results indicate that this entomopathogenic fungus can be established as an endophyte on cocoa pods if flowers are sprayed. Other naturally occurring endophytic fungi such as Acremoniumspp., Aspergillus spp., Cladosporium spp. and Penicilliumspp. as well as seven morphospecies of bacteria were also isolated from cocoa pods. These findings suggest that cocoa pods are conducive for endophytic fungal growth of both naturally occurring and inoculated B. bassiana, and could possibly lead to an innovative methodology to manage insect pests in biocontrol programs.

• Autores: Posada, Francisco J.; Chaves, Fabio C.; Gianfagna, Thomas J.; Pava-Ripoll, Monica; Hebbar, Prakash
• Tipo de recurso: Article of journal
• Fecha de publicación: 2010
• Institución: Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales U.D.C.A
• Repositorio: Repositorio Institucional UDCA
• Idioma: eng
• OAI Identifier: oai:repository.udca.edu.co:11158/2273
• Acceso en línea: https://revistas.udca.edu.co/index.php/ruadc/article/view/731
• Palabra clave: Ascomycota; Hypocreales; Biological control; Entomopathogens; Theobroma cacao; Ascomycota; Control biológico; Theobroma cacao; Beauveria bassiana
• Rights: openAccess
• License: Derechos Reservados - Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales