Diversity of Fungi Associated with Atta bisphaerica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The Activity of Aspergillus ochraceus and Beauveria bassiana
The grass-cutting ant Atta bisphaerica is one of the most serious pests in several pastures and crops in Brazil. Fungal diseases are a constant threat to these large societies composed of millions of closely related individuals. We investigated the occurrence of filamentous fungi associated with the...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2012-01-01
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| Series: | Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/389806 |
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| author | Myriam M. R. Ribeiro Karina D. Amaral Vanessa E. Seide Bressane M. R. Souza Terezinha M. C. Della Lucia Maria Catarina M. Kasuya Danival J. de Souza |
| author_facet | Myriam M. R. Ribeiro Karina D. Amaral Vanessa E. Seide Bressane M. R. Souza Terezinha M. C. Della Lucia Maria Catarina M. Kasuya Danival J. de Souza |
| author_sort | Myriam M. R. Ribeiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The grass-cutting ant Atta bisphaerica is one of the most serious pests in several pastures and crops in Brazil. Fungal diseases are a constant threat to these large societies composed of millions of closely related individuals. We investigated the occurrence of filamentous fungi associated with the ant A. bisphaerica in a pasture area of Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Several fungi species were isolated from forager ants, and two of them, known as entomopathogenic, Beauveria bassiana and Aspergillus ochraceus, were tested against worker ants in the laboratory. The two species were highly virulent, achieving 50 percent worker mortality within 4-5 days. It is the first time A. ochraceus, a commonly found fungal species, is reported to infect Atta species at a high prevalence. Possible uses for the fungus within biological control are discussed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2c2fce0efa0745cbab8862a072492110 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0033-2615 1687-7438 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| spelling | doaj-art-2c2fce0efa0745cbab8862a0724921102025-02-03T05:45:34ZengWileyPsyche: A Journal of Entomology0033-26151687-74382012-01-01201210.1155/2012/389806389806Diversity of Fungi Associated with Atta bisphaerica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The Activity of Aspergillus ochraceus and Beauveria bassianaMyriam M. R. Ribeiro0Karina D. Amaral1Vanessa E. Seide2Bressane M. R. Souza3Terezinha M. C. Della Lucia4Maria Catarina M. Kasuya5Danival J. de Souza6Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, BrazilDepartamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, BrazilCurso de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal do Tocantins, 77402-970 Gurupi, TO, BrazilThe grass-cutting ant Atta bisphaerica is one of the most serious pests in several pastures and crops in Brazil. Fungal diseases are a constant threat to these large societies composed of millions of closely related individuals. We investigated the occurrence of filamentous fungi associated with the ant A. bisphaerica in a pasture area of Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Several fungi species were isolated from forager ants, and two of them, known as entomopathogenic, Beauveria bassiana and Aspergillus ochraceus, were tested against worker ants in the laboratory. The two species were highly virulent, achieving 50 percent worker mortality within 4-5 days. It is the first time A. ochraceus, a commonly found fungal species, is reported to infect Atta species at a high prevalence. Possible uses for the fungus within biological control are discussed.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/389806 |
| spellingShingle | Myriam M. R. Ribeiro Karina D. Amaral Vanessa E. Seide Bressane M. R. Souza Terezinha M. C. Della Lucia Maria Catarina M. Kasuya Danival J. de Souza Diversity of Fungi Associated with Atta bisphaerica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The Activity of Aspergillus ochraceus and Beauveria bassiana Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| title | Diversity of Fungi Associated with Atta bisphaerica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The Activity of Aspergillus ochraceus and Beauveria bassiana |
| title_full | Diversity of Fungi Associated with Atta bisphaerica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The Activity of Aspergillus ochraceus and Beauveria bassiana |
| title_fullStr | Diversity of Fungi Associated with Atta bisphaerica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The Activity of Aspergillus ochraceus and Beauveria bassiana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity of Fungi Associated with Atta bisphaerica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The Activity of Aspergillus ochraceus and Beauveria bassiana |
| title_short | Diversity of Fungi Associated with Atta bisphaerica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The Activity of Aspergillus ochraceus and Beauveria bassiana |
| title_sort | diversity of fungi associated with atta bisphaerica hymenoptera formicidae the activity of aspergillus ochraceus and beauveria bassiana |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/389806 |
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