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Toxicity and Pathogenicity Testing of the Insect Pest Control Fungus Metarhizium anisopliae
1U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Gulf Ecology Division, 1 Sabine Island Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, USA
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
|July 29, 1998
Summary
Metarhizium anisopliae extract shows aquatic toxicity and developmental effects in embryos but is not mutagenic. Destruxins alone do not cause toxicity, indicating other compounds in the extract are responsible for observed effects.
Area of Science:
- Environmental toxicology
- Microbial pest control
- Ecotoxicology
Background:
- Metarhizium anisopliae is explored for insect control.
- Safety assessment of M. anisopliae extracts is crucial for environmental application.
- Understanding the toxicity and mutagenicity of microbial extracts is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the toxicity and mutagenicity of a neutral M. anisopliae extract.
- To identify the toxic components within the extract.
- To evaluate the safety of M. anisopliae for aquatic ecosystems.
Main Methods:
- Aquatic animal bioassays (Mysidopsis bahia, Palaemonetes pugio, Xenopus laevis, Gambusia affinis).
- Ames test for mutagenicity using bacterial strains TA98 and TA100.
- Partial purification of destruxins to isolate toxic compounds.
Main Results:
- Neutral extract showed aquatic toxicity (LC50 2.41 mg/L in Mysidopsis bahia).
- Extract caused fetotoxicity and malformations in shrimp and frog embryos.
- Extract was not mutagenic in the Ames test; destruxins were not solely responsible for toxicity.
Conclusions:
- The neutral M. anisopliae extract exhibits significant aquatic toxicity and developmental effects.
- Further research is needed to identify the specific toxic compounds beyond destruxins.
- M. anisopliae extracts require careful risk assessment before widespread use in insect control.