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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Isolation and Selection of Entomopathogenic Fungi from Soil Samples and Evaluation of Fungal Virulence against Insect Pests
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A New Isolated Fungus and Its Pathogenicity for Apis mellifera Brood in China

Tessema Aynalem1,2, Lifeng Meng1, Awraris Getachew1,2

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.

Microorganisms
|February 24, 2024
PubMed

Insights

A newly identified fungus, Rhizopus oryzae, is pathogenic to honeybee larvae. This finding highlights potential risks to pollinators from plant pathogenic fungi.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Apiculture
  • Insect Pathology

Background:

  • Honeybees are crucial pollinators facing various threats.
  • Chalkbrood disease, caused by fungi, impacts honeybee larvae.
  • Pathogen identification is vital for understanding honeybee health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and determine the pathogenicity of a novel fungal strain affecting honeybee larvae.
  • To establish the cause-and-effect relationship between the isolated fungus and honeybee larval mortality.
  • To characterize the dose-response and time-response of the fungal infection in honeybee larvae.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and morphological identification of the fungus from diseased honeybee larvae and pupae.
  • Molecular identification using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region.
  • Koch's postulates and in vitro inoculation of worker larvae to assess pathogenicity.

Main Results:

  • The isolated fungus was identified as Rhizopus oryzae.
  • Pathogenicity was confirmed through artificial inoculation, demonstrating a dose- and time-dependent effect.
  • The Lethal Time 50% (LT50) was 26.8 hours and Lethal Concentration 50% (LC50) was 6.2 × 10³ conidia/larva at specific concentrations.

Conclusions:

  • The novel Rhizopus oryzae isolate exhibits significant pathogenicity towards honeybee larvae.
  • Plant pathogenic fungi may pose a threat to associated pollinators.
  • Further research is recommended to understand the impact on colony-level health.
Keywords:
Rhizopus oryzaefungihoneybeelarvaepathogenicity

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