The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an important pest of tomatoes that reduces yield and fruit quality resulting in losses of up to 100%. The pest has developed resistance to chemical insecticides, therefore necessitating alternative control measures. The entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae have been exploited extensively for biological control of the insect pests of economic importance. The potential of B. bassiana (Bals.) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) (BbC1) and M. anisopliae (Metchn.) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) (M150) to persist as endophytic EPF in two tomato varieties, Matina and Harzfeuer, which spread within host tissues and protect plants against larval attack of S. frugiperda was evaluated. Tomato seedlings were inoculated by dipping roots in either BbC1 or M150 spore suspensions (108 spores/ ml). The qPCR analyses revealed the presence of both fungi in > 65% of the tested samples. Second-instar larvae of S. frugiperda were introduced onto inoculated plants that revealed the presence of fungal DNA and non-inoculated plants, 14 days after inoculation. Treating tomato plants with the EPF resulted in reducing weights and slowing larval development of Spodoptera. Larvae fed on BbC1 and M150-treated Matina significantly reduced weights than those treated with Harzfeuer tomato plants. The tomato variety Matina conferred enhanced level of resistance to the S. frugiperda larvae, further aggravated by the presence of both fungi through dietary stress resulting in slow development and reduce larval weight. These results may serve the tomato production systems and the S. frugiperda integrated management programs.

中文翻译：

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内生真菌，球孢白僵菌和拟南芥，在两个番茄品种中控制秋季粘虫，斜纹夜蛾（JE Smith）（鳞翅目：夜蛾科）

秋季夜蛾夜蛾（Spodoptera frugiperda（JE Smith））（鳞翅目：夜蛾科）是西红柿的重要害虫，可降低产量和果实品质，造成高达100％的损失。该害虫对化学杀虫剂产生了抗药性，因此需要采取替代控制措施。昆虫致病性真菌（Berveria bassiana）和白僵菌（Metrahizium anisopliae）已被广泛用于对具有重要经济意义的害虫进行生物防治。B. bassiana（Bals。）Vuillemin（Hypocreales：虫草科）（BbC1）和M. anisopliae（Metchn。）Sorokin（Hypocreales：锁骨科）（M150）在两个番茄品种Matina和Harzfeuer中作为内生EPF持续存在的潜力，评估了在宿主组织内传播的，能保护植物免受Srug frugiperda幼虫侵袭的病毒。通过将根浸在BbC1或M150孢子悬浮液（108孢子/ ml）中来接种番茄幼苗。qPCR分析表明，> 65％的测试样品中均存在两种真菌。在接种后14天，将S.frugiperda的二龄幼虫引入显示出真菌DNA和未接种植物的接种植物上。用EPF处理番茄植株可减轻体重，并减缓斜纹夜蛾幼虫的发育。与使用Harzfeuer番茄植物处理的幼虫相比，以BbC1和M150处理过的Matina喂养的幼虫体重明显降低。番茄品种Matina赋予了对Srug frugiperda幼虫抗性的增强水平，这两种真菌都通过饮食压力而存在，从而导致发育缓慢并减轻幼虫体重，从而进一步加剧了抗药性。