Insecticidal Activity of Isolated Bacteria from Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)

• Main Authors: Nurcan Albayrak İskender, Serkan Örtücü, Yaşar Aksu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Artvin Çoruh Üniversitesi 2017-04-01
• Series: Artvin Çoruh Üniversitesi Orman Fakültesi Dergisi
• Subjects: Hyphantria cunea; bacteria; biological control; pest; pathogenicity
• Online Access: http://ofd.artvin.edu.tr/issue/25618/274071
• ISSN: 2146-698X; 2146-698X

The fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) is a polyphagous pest with numerous host plants. In the present study, the bacterial flora of H.cunea was investigated to identify new organisms that can be used as microbial control agent against the pest. Six bacteria were isolated and cultured from H. cunea. Some morphological, biochemical and other phenotypic characteristics (with API 20E, API 50 CH, API Staph and API Coryne kits) of bacterial isolates were determined. In addition, 16S rRNA gene region was sequenced. As a result of the studies conducted, bacterial isolates were identified as Lysinibacillus sphaericus (Abk1), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (Abk2), Staphylococcus sciuri (Abk4), Kocuria palustris (Abk6), Arthrobacter arilaitensis (Abk7) and Microbacterium oxydans (Abk8). All bacterial isolates were tested for 12 days against third-fourth instar larvae of H. cunea. The highest insecticidal activity was obtained from L. sphaericus (Abk1) with 30% after application (p<0.05). These results indicate that L. sphaericus (Abk1) can be taken into account in the microbial pest control of H. cunea. In the future, further studies will be conducted by using pathogenicity enrichment strategies of L. sphaericus (Abk1) (ex. combining with other entomopathogens or insecticides) in order to increase the effectiveness on H. cunea.