title: Insecticidal activity of a Moroccan strain of Streptomyces phaeochromogenes LD-37 on larvae, pupae and adults of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae).
abstract: The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata, is considered the most important fruit pest worldwide. Its management is mainly based on the use of chemical insecticides. Although these conventional pesticides are effective at high doses, they cause considerable human health and environment problems. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess insecticidal activity of Moroccan actinobacteria against C. capitata. A total of 12 preselected actinobacteria isolated from various Moroccan habitats were screened for their insecticidal activity against larvae, pupae and adults of C. capitata. Four actinobacteria isolates were significantly active against the first-instar larvae, and nine were active against the medfly adult, while no significant mortality was obtained against the third-instar larval and pupal stages. Among the selected isolates, the biological screening revealed that strain Streptomyces LD-37, which showed 99.4% similarity with Streptomyces phaeochromogenes, exhibited the maximal corrected larval mortality of 98%. Moreover, the isolates AS1 and LD-37 showed the maximum significant corrected mortality against adults of 32.5 and 28.2%, respectively. The crude extract obtained from a fermented culture of strain S. phaeochromogenes LD-37 was separated into six fractions by thin layer chromatography. Fractions F3 and F4 caused a significant corrected larval mortality of 66.7 and 53.3%, respectively; whereas the maximum reduction in adult emergence was obtained with fraction F4. This finding could be useful for utilizing S. phaeochromogenes LD-37 as an alternative to chemical insecticides in pest management of C. capitata.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology and Biotechnology of Microorganisms,Department of Biology,Faculty of Sciences Semlalia,Cadi Ayyad University,P.O. Box. 2390 Marrakech 40000,Morocco.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Samri
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology and Biotechnology of Microorganisms,Department of Biology,Faculty of Sciences Semlalia,Cadi Ayyad University,P.O. Box. 2390 Marrakech 40000,Morocco.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular and Ecophysiological Modelisation,Faculty of Sciences Semlalia,Cadi Ayyad University,P.O. Box. 2390 Marrakech 40000,Morocco.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghalbane
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular and Ecophysiological Modelisation,Faculty of Sciences Semlalia,Cadi Ayyad University,P.O. Box. 2390 Marrakech 40000,Morocco.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El Messoussi
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Sciences,Ecole Normale Supérieure,Algers,Algeria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zitouni
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biotechnology Valorisation and Protection of Agro-Resources,Faculty of Science and Techniques Gueliz,Cadi Ayyad University,P.O. Box 549 Marrakech 40000,Morocco.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Meziane
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology and Biotechnology of Microorganisms,Department of Biology,Faculty of Sciences Semlalia,Cadi Ayyad University,P.O. Box. 2390 Marrakech 40000,Morocco.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barakate
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007814:Larva / Q000382:microbiology; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D010802:Phylogeny; D011679:Pupa / Q000382:microbiology; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D033621:Tephritidae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D007306:Insecticides; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: 
                 Ceratitis capitata
              ; Moroccan Actinobacteria; bioinsecticide; screening