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BACKGROUND: While searching for novel small molecules for new organic pesticide agents against plant-parasitic nematodes, we found that the hexane extract from the roots of Senecio sinuatos and its main secondary metabolite, 3ß-angeloyloxy-6ß-hydroxyfuranoeremophil-1(10)-ene (1), possess nematicidal activity against the second stage juvenile (J2) of Meloidogyne incognita and Nacobbus aberrans. Both species reduce yield of various vegetable crops. These results encouraged us to synthesize esters 3-9 formed by diol 2, obtained by alkaline hydrolysis of 1 and acetic anhydride, benzoic acid, 2-nitrobenzoic acid, 2-bromobenzoic acid, 4-nitrobenzoic acid, 4-bromobenzoic acid, and 4-methoxybenzoic acid, respectively. The nematicidal activity of these esters was evaluated and compared with that of the free benzoic acids. RESULTS: Natural product 1 and derivatives 2-9 were obtained and characterized by their physical and spectroscopic properties, including one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments; X-ray diffraction analysis established their absolute configuration. The nematicidal activity of compounds 1-9 was assessed in vitro against M. incognita and N. aberrans J2 and was compared to activity shown by benzoic acid, 2-nitrobenzoic acid, 2-bromobenzoic acid, 4-nitrobenzoic acid, 4-bromobenzoic acid, and 4-methoxybenzoic acid. The esters suppressed nematodes more than free benzoic acid. Nacobbus aberrans J2 were suppressed, with compounds 5, 6, and 8 being the most active. CONCLUSION: Esters formed by 3ß,6ß-dihydroxyfuranoeremophil-1(10)-ene and ortho- or para-substituted benzoic acids containing electron acceptor groups had nematicidal activity against N. aberrans. These compound can potentially serve as a model for the development of new organic nematicidal agents. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

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Prior knowledge of the local population structure of entomopathogenic fungi is considered an important requisite when developing microbial control strategies against major pests of crops such as white grubs. An extensive survey in the estate of Guanajuato, one of the main agricultural regions of Mexico, was carried out to determine the abundance and diversity of entomopathogenic fungi in soil. Soil collected from 11 locations was baited for entomopathogenic fungi using Galleria mellonella. In addition, all isolates were morphologically identified and selected isolates of Beauveria and Metarhizium isolates identified using Bloc and ITS or Elongation Factor 1-α and ITS sequence information respectively. Genotypic diversity was then studied using microsatellite genotyping. The proportion of isolates belonging to each genus varied amongst all locations. The species Beauveria bassiana, B. pseudobassiana and Metarhizium robertsii were found, with B. bassiana being the most abundant and widely distributed. Microsatellite genotyping showed that the 36 B. bassiana isolates were grouped in 29 unique haplotypes, but with no separation according to geographical origin.

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BACKGROUND: In addition to high production levels of conidia, the success of entomopathogenic fungi as biological control agents depends both on their prevalence under the environmental conditions found in open fields (resistance to stress) and on the capacity of these conidia to infect pests. This study compares conidium production, infectivity and resistance to thermal and osmotic stress in two strains of Isaria fumosorosea (ARSEF 3302 and CNRCB1) grown either under a normal atmosphere (21% O2) or using enriched oxygen pulses (26% O2). RESULTS: After 180 h, the ARSEF 3302 strain with 26% O2 pulses increased conidium production nearly fivefold compared with the normal atmosphere, while conidium production by the CNRCB1 strain decreased by 50% under O2 pulses, relative to the values measured with the normal atmosphere. The conidia obtained with 26% O2 pulses had a greater germination rate and resistance to thermal and osmotic stress, in addition to improved infectivity against Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera) larvae. These findings were associated with an increase in catalase activities for both strains. CONCLUSION: An enriched oxygen atmosphere increases the quality of conidia of both strains of I. fumosorosea, with a variable effect on conidium production.

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Interactions between Zoophthora radicans isolates were studied in vitro and in vivo during infection of Plutella xylostella larvae. We distinguished between isolates within infected hosts using PCR-RFLP. Isolates obtained from P. xylostella larvae (NW386 and NW250) were more virulent than isolates from other insect hosts. Isolate NW250 was most virulent at 27°C and isolate NW386 was most virulent at 22°C. In vitro growth of all isolates except NW386 was affected by the presence of other isolates. During in vivo interactions between NW250 and NW386, the isolate with the greatest conidial concentration at inoculation infected more larvae than its competitor. Dual infected larvae were only found in treatments where inoculation concentrations of conidia were high for both isolates. Where concentrations of conidia at inoculation were low for both isolates, only NW250 caused successful infection. The implications of these results for the ecology of Z. radicans are discussed.

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White grub larvae are important soil-dwelling pests in many regions of Mexico as they attack many important crops such as maize. The use of synthetic chemicals is currently the main control strategy, but they are not always effective; thus, other alternatives are needed. Microbial control using entomopathogenic fungi represents an important alternative strategy, and species within the genera Beauveria and Metarhizium are considered amongst the most promising candidates. Seventeen Beauveria spp. and two Metarhizium spp. isolates were obtained in surveys of white grub larvae from different regions of Guanajuato, Mexico. All isolates were capable of infecting healthy larvae of the white grub Phyllophaga polyphilla in laboratory assays, but mortality never exceeded 50 %. Isolates were identified using morphological and molecular methods. Based on elongation factor1-α and ITS partial gene sequence data, all Beauveria isolates were identified as Beauveria pseudobassiana. Elongation factor1-α and ß-tubulin sequence data identified the Metarhizium isolates to be Metarhizium pingshaense. In contrast, three additional Metarhizium isolates obtained the previous year in the same region were identified as M. pingshaense, Metarhizium anisopliae and Metarhizium robertsii. Microsatellite genotyping showed that all B. pseudobassiana isolates were the same haplotype. Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus fingerprinting information confirmed no significant variation amongst the B. pseudobassiana isolates. The ecological role of these isolates and their impact on white grub larvae populations are discussed.

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The aim of the present work was to study the effect of moisture content and inoculum on the growth and conidia production by Beauveria bassiana on wheat bran (WB).The highest growth rate of B. bassiana 885.2 on WB media was obtained at a w=1.0, with no detected growth at a w < 0.97. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) using WB (66 percent moisture; a w=1.0) achieved a maximal yield of 1.18x10 10 conidia per gram of dry substrate (gds). This yield decreased one order of magnitude with higher moisture contents or the addition of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as a texturiser. In SSF using WB (66 percent humidity),the time to obtain a yield of 1x10(10) conidia/gds, referred to as t10, could be predicted using a model considering common inoculum levels and maximal yields. For instance, t10 was 285 h with an inoculum of 1x10(6) conidia/gds; however, t10 was reduced to 232 h and 148 for inocula of 7x10(6) and 5x10(7) conidia/gds, respectively. The estimation of t10 values allowed both comparison between the cultures and prediction of harvesting times in production processes. Values for hydrophobicity were within 90 and 92 percent, whereas viability averages were around 70 percent for all the cultures

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Cada vez se hace más importante el estudio de controladores biológicos para las plagas que se presentan en los diversos cultivos. El hongo Lecanicillium lecanii se construye en un agente de control biológico, cuyo uso puede aplicarse a la regulación de insectos chupadores que originan grandes pérdidas a los cultivos. En esta investigación, se optimizaron los niveles de medio de cultivo y cantidad de inóculo necesario para la producción de conidia en dos tiempos de L. lecanii, con la ayuda de un diseño compuesto central para superficie de respuesta. La mayor concentración de conidia (8.88 x 108) se obtiene con 0.8 x 106 esp como inóculo en 11.36 ml de medio de cultivo. En la superficie de respuesta, se observa que la variable respuesta producción de esporas es directamente proporcional a la cantidad de medio de cultivo y no a la cantidad de inóculo.

Every time is most important to study the biological controllers against plagues that attack different crops. The fungus Lecanicillium lecanii is a biological controller taht can be used as a regulator of plantsucking insects that cause severe losses to crops. The levels of culture media and the necessary inoculants quantity for the production of conidia in two phases of L. lecanii were optimized in this research, using a central composite design for response surface. The biggest concentration of conidia (8.88 x 108) was obtained with 0.8 x 10 spores as inoculants in 1.36 ml of media culture. In the response answer it was observed that the response spore production variable is directly proportional to the quantity of media culture and not to the quantity of inoculants.

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