Selection procedure for entomopathogenic fungi using molecular markers.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Molecular Biology
• Mycology

Background:

• Mass production and environmental stress pose challenges for entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) application.
• Developing efficient selection methods for EPF is crucial for their wider use in pest management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a molecular marker-based procedure for selecting promising entomopathogenic fungi (EPF).
• To identify specific genes correlated with conidial production and environmental stress tolerance in Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium spp.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated conidial production and environmental stress tolerance of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium spp. isolates.
• Analyzed gene expression levels of six phenotypic-related genes in relation to conidial production and stress tolerance.
• Correlated gene expression patterns with phenotypic traits in B. bassiana and Metarhizium spp.

Main Results:

• In Beauveria bassiana, slt2 and catA genes correlated with conidial production and thermotolerance; slt2 and hog1 with osmotic and oxidative stress tolerance, respectively.
• Gene expression-phenotype correlations were inconsistent in Metarhizium spp.
• In Metarhizium pinghaense, hog1 correlated with conidial production, while mbf1, slt2, and cag8 were linked to thermotolerance, oxidative stress, and osmotic stress tolerance.

Conclusions:

• Phenotypic mechanisms show intraspecies conservation in entomopathogenic fungi.
• Identified specific molecular markers (genes) associated with desirable traits in EPF.
• Proposed a strategy for rapid selection of superior EPF strains using molecular markers.