Articles
First report of Akanthomyces muscarius associated with hazelnut gall mite
Article number
1379_53
Pages
365 – 372
Language
English
Abstract
The gall mites Phytoptus avellanae and Cecidophyopsis vermiformis (Acariformes: Eriophyoidea) are important pests of hazelnut.
The first belongs to the Phytoptidae family and causes severe symptoms on generative and vegetative buds that become, when colonized by the mite, swollen and fleshy, and deformed into structures called galls.
During winter 2021, galls were collected in hazelnut orchards in Viterbo province (Lazio region, Italy) to investigate the potential occurrence of fungal infection in infested buds.
Living mites collected from the galls, as well as pieces of gall tissues, were plated onto potato dextrose agar and incubated at 25°C until fungal growth was visible.
One fungal morphotype was clearly predominant among the obtained isolates.
The analysis of morphological features of the fungus and the sequencing of partial ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions allowed its identification as Akanthomyces muscarius (Petch) Spatafora, Kepler & B. Shrestha.
Interestingly, this is a fungal species known for colonizing tissues endophytically of several plant species, and for the entomopathogenic activity of some strains.
To our knowledge, this is the first report of a (potentially) entomopathogenic fungus associated with hazelnut gall mite.
Implications of this association and perspectives on its use as a potential biocontrol agent are discussed.
The first belongs to the Phytoptidae family and causes severe symptoms on generative and vegetative buds that become, when colonized by the mite, swollen and fleshy, and deformed into structures called galls.
During winter 2021, galls were collected in hazelnut orchards in Viterbo province (Lazio region, Italy) to investigate the potential occurrence of fungal infection in infested buds.
Living mites collected from the galls, as well as pieces of gall tissues, were plated onto potato dextrose agar and incubated at 25°C until fungal growth was visible.
One fungal morphotype was clearly predominant among the obtained isolates.
The analysis of morphological features of the fungus and the sequencing of partial ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions allowed its identification as Akanthomyces muscarius (Petch) Spatafora, Kepler & B. Shrestha.
Interestingly, this is a fungal species known for colonizing tissues endophytically of several plant species, and for the entomopathogenic activity of some strains.
To our knowledge, this is the first report of a (potentially) entomopathogenic fungus associated with hazelnut gall mite.
Implications of this association and perspectives on its use as a potential biocontrol agent are discussed.
Publication
Authors
A. Mazzaglia, S. Turco, C. DAttilia, M. Contarini, V. Cristofori, S. Speranza, M.I. Drais
Keywords
Corylus avellana, entomopathogenic fungi, endophyte, biological control agent
Groups involved
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