Department of Agronomy, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Av. Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois irmãos, 52171-900 Recife, PE, Brazil.
J Invertebr Pathol. 2009 Nov;102(3):196-202. doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2009.08.012. Epub 2009 Aug 20.
Neozygites floridana (Weiser & Muma) (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) has been reported infecting naturally at least 18 species of tetranychids worldwide. However, the host range of N. floridana is unknown. Epizootics caused by this pathogen to tetranychid populations indicate that N. floridana has the potential to be used as a biological control agent. However, the virulence and specificity of species and strains of Neozygites need to be assessed in the laboratory to reveal its potential as a biological control agent. N. floridana isolates are currently been investigated in Brazil as biological control agents against the tomato red mite, Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard, and the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch. The pathogenicity of five strains of N. floridana obtained from T. urticae, T. evansi and T. ludeni Zacher was assessed against populations of Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar), Schizotetranychus sacharum Flechtmann & Baker, Tetranychus abacae Baker & Pritchard and Tetranychus armipenis Flechtmann & Baker, in addition to the species from which the fungus was obtained. Mummified mites were placed on leaf discs of the host plant of each tetranychid to promote fungal sporulation, and after 24h the mites were transferred to the leaf discs. Contamination, infection and mummification were evaluated daily for seven days after confinement. Each isolate was pathogenic to three or four out of the six spider mite species tested. However, except for isolate ESALQ1421, all isolates caused higher levels of infection and significant mummification only to the tetranychid species from which they were collected. None of the isolates was pathogenic to S. sacharum and only one isolate infected T. abacae. Alternative hosts may be important for N. floridana survival in tropical regions where resting spores are rarely found.
佛罗里达新绿僵菌 (Weiser & Muma)（接合菌门：虫霉目）已被报道在全球范围内至少感染了 18 种叶螨。然而，其宿主范围尚不清楚。这种病原体对叶螨种群的流行表明，佛罗里达新绿僵菌具有作为生物防治剂的潜力。然而，需要在实验室中评估绿僵菌的毒力和种间特异性，以揭示其作为生物防治剂的潜力。目前，巴西正在研究佛罗里达新绿僵菌作为生物防治剂，用于防治番茄红螨（Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard）和二斑叶螨（Tetranychus urticae Koch）。从 T. urticae、T. evansi 和 T. ludeni Zacher 中获得的 5 株佛罗里达新绿僵菌菌株的致病性，对 Mononychellus tanajoa（Bondar）、Schizotetranychus sacharum Flechtmann & Baker、Tetranychus abacae Baker & Pritchard 和 Tetranychus armipenis Flechtmann & Baker 种群进行了评估，此外还评估了从其获得真菌的物种。将木乃伊螨放置在每个叶螨宿主植物的叶盘上，以促进真菌孢子的形成，然后在 24 小时后将螨虫转移到叶盘上。在隔离后的七天内，每天评估污染、感染和木乃伊化情况。每个分离株对测试的 6 种叶螨中的 3 到 4 种具有致病性。然而，除了 ESALQ1421 分离株外，所有分离株对其收集的叶螨物种引起更高水平的感染和显著的木乃伊化。没有分离株对 S. sacharum 具有致病性，只有一个分离株感染了 T. abacae。在很少发现休眠孢子的热带地区，替代宿主可能对佛罗里达新绿僵菌的生存很重要。
