Inoculation of coffee plants with the fungal entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales)

Authors: Posada-Florez, Francisco; Aime, Mary; Peterson, Stephen; Rehner, Stephen; Vega, Fernando

Submitted to: Mycological Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/8/2007
Publication Date: 6/1/2007
Citation: Posada, F.J., Aime, M.C., Peterson, S.W., Rehner, S.A., Vega, F.E. 2007. Inoculation of coffee plants with the fungal entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales). Mycological Research. 111(6):748-757.

Interpretive Summary: The coffee berry borer is the most devastating pest of coffee throughout the world. Eggs are deposited inside coffee berries and insects feed on the coffee seed, severely reducing yields. Our laboratory is trying to develop a novel biologically-based insect control method against the coffee berry borer, involving the inoculation of coffee plants with the fungal insect pathogen Beauveria bassiana. In this paper we report fungal establishment in coffee seedlings after fungal spore suspensions were applied as foliar sprays, stem injections, or soil drenches. This finding will be of use to coffee scientists, mycologists, entomologists, and the coffee industry.

Technical Abstract: The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana was established in coffee seedlings after fungal spore suspensions were applied as foliar sprays, stem injections, or soil drenches. Direct injection yielded the highest post-inoculation recovery of endophytic B. bassiana. Establishment, based on percent recovery of B. bassiana, decreased as time post-inoculation increased in all treatments. Several other endophytes were isolated from the seedlings and could have negatively influenced establishment of B. bassiana. The recovery of B. bassiana from sites distant from the point of inoculation indicate that that the fungus has the potential to move throughout the plant.