Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Aa toxin increases the susceptibility of Crioceris quatuordecimpunctata to Beauveria bassiana infection.
The spotted asparagus beetle, Crioceris quatuordecimpunctata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is one of the most devastating pests of asparagus in China. Sprayed synthetic pesticides have been used to control C. quatuordecimpunctata damage, but they pose problems because of residues and harm to natural enemies. Neither the microbial coleopteran-specific toxin from Bacillus thuringiensistenebrionis, Cry3Aa, nor the fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana have sufficient activity to effectively control C. quatuordecimpunctata damage to asparagus. However, second instar C. quatuordecimpunctata larvae exposed to a sublethal dose of Cry3Aa toxin demonstrated significantly higher larval mortality when exposed to B. bassiana. Our results suggest that a combination of Cry3Aa and B. bassiana may be effective in reducing damage by C. quatuordecimpunctata larvae to asparagus.
State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China.
Yulin
Y
Gao
Brenda
B
Oppert
Jeffrey C
JC
Lord
Chenxi
C
Liu
Zhongren
Z
Lei
D000818:Animals; D027761:Asparagus Plant / Q000469:parasitology; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D052982:Beauveria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D001681:Biological Assay; D001517:Coleoptera; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007306:Insecticides; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods
D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004731:Endotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007306:Insecticides; C030956:insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis