Relative Humidity Impacts Development and Activity Against Aedes Aegypti Adults by Granular Formulations of Metarhizium Humberi Microsclerotia

Overview

Journal Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

Specialties Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
Microbiology

Date 2021 Mar 21

PMID 33745009

Citations 8

Authors

Juscelino Rodrigues

Alaine Maria Lopes Catao

Amanda Soares Dos Santos

Flavia Regina Santos Paixao

Thaina Rodrigues Santos

Juan Mercado Martinez

Ricardo Neves Marreto

Gabriel Moura Mascarin

Everton Kort Kamp Fernandes

Richard Alan Humber

Christian Luz

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The impact of ambient relative humidity (RH) on conidial production of Metarhizium humberi IP 46 microsclerotia (MS) formulated in pellets or granules was investigated, and a promising granular formulation was tested against Aedes aegypti adults to confirm its efficacy. Microcrystalline cellulose (MC) and diatomaceous earth (DE) or a combination of vermiculite (VE), DE and silicon dioxide (SD) were tested as carriers in granular formulations containing MS. A range of 93-96.5% RH was critical for fungal development, and at least 96.5-98.5% RH was required for high conidial production on pellets or granules. Conidial production was clearly higher on pellets and granules prepared with VE than MC as the main carrier. VE granules containing MS were highly active against A. aegypti adults. Most mosquitoes were killed within 6 days after treatment regardless of the exposure time of adults to the formulation (1 min-24 h) or ambient humidity (75 or >98%). Production of conidia on dead adults varied between 7.3 × 10 and 2.2 × 10 conidia/individual, when exposed to MS granules for 12 h and 1 min, respectively. Granular formulations containing VE as the main carrier and MS as the active ingredient of M. humberi have strong potential for use against A. aegypti. KEY POINTS: • High conidial production on granular microsclerotial formulations at >96.5% RH • Vermiculite is more appropriate as a carrier than microcrystalline cellulose • Granules with IP 46 microsclerotia are highly active against Aedes aegypti adults.

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