Tuta absoluta Meyrick 1917 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is an invasive, pesticide resistant, and a major treat of tomato production in the world. It needs effective management options that naturally infect the insect without causing any identified side effects. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are the most important options. However, geographic origin and climatic condition apparently creates genetic variation among EPF strains that influence on their pathogenicity. Thus, screening of effective EPF strains from the local source is vital to develop environmental friendly pest control tactic for T. absoluta. In this study, 27 indigenous Beauveria were isolated from the various types of soil and 12 of the isolates were screened based on their biological efficiency index (BEI). These isolates scored 65.7–95.7% and 68.3–95% of mortality against second and third instar larvae of T. absoluta at concentration of 1 × 107spores·ml-1 in 7 days post inoculation, respectively. Out of these, five (18.5%) isolates scored above 90% mortality on both instar larvae with LT50 value of 3.33 to 5.33 days at the lowest (104 spores·ml-1) and 1.93 to 3.17 days at highest (108 spores·ml-1) spore concentrations and has LC50 value of 1.5 × 103 to 1.1× 105 spores·ml-1. Moreover, isolates exhibited the promising mortality better (1.5 × 106 to 3.5 × 107 spores·ml-1), sporulated over the larval cadavers, well grown at optimal temperature, and produced chitinolytic enzymes. Molecular analysis showed that isolates have nearly monophyletic characters and grouped under species of Beauveria bassiana. Different types of soil in Ethiopia are an important source of B. bassiana, and these isolates showed promising pathogenicity against T. absoluta, which is crucial for ecofriendly biopesticide development. Although isolates were nearly monophyletic in phylogenetic study, five of them were highly effective in the laboratory bioassays against T. absoluta; however, further field evaluation is required for mass production.

中文翻译：

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埃塞俄比亚本土白僵菌对番茄潜叶蛾 Tuta absoluta Meyrick 1917（鳞翅目：Gelechiidae）的分子系统发育和致病性


Tuta absoluta Meyrick 1917（鳞翅目：Gelechiidae）是一种入侵性、抗农药性的作物，是世界上番茄生产的主要作物。它需要有效的管理方案，能够自然感染昆虫而不引起任何已知的副作用。昆虫病原真菌（EPF）是最重要的选择。然而，地理起源和气候条件显然会在 EPF 菌株之间产生遗传变异，从而影响其致病性。因此，从当地筛选有效的EPF菌株对于制定环境友好型的绝对害虫防治策略至关重要。在这项研究中，从不同类型的土壤中分离出了 27 种本土白僵菌，并根据其生物效率指数 (BEI) 对其中 12 种进行了筛选。在接种后 7 天内，这些分离株在浓度为 1 × 107 孢子·ml-1 时，对绝对赤霉二龄和三龄幼虫的死亡率分别为 65.7–95.7% 和 68.3–95%。其中，5株（18.5%）菌株的两龄幼虫死亡率高于90%，LT50值最低为3.33至5.33天（104个孢子·ml-1），最高为1.93至3.17天（108个孢子·ml-1）。 -1) 孢子浓度，LC50值为1.5×103至1.1×105孢子·ml-1。此外，分离株表现出更好的死亡率（1.5×106至3.5×107孢子·ml-1），在幼虫尸体上形成孢子，在最佳温度下生长良好，并产生几丁质分解酶。分子分析表明，分离株几乎具有单系特征，并归入白僵菌属下。埃塞俄比亚不同类型的土壤是白僵菌的重要来源，这些分离株对绝对白僵菌表现出良好的致病性，这对于生态友好型生物农药的开发至关重要。 尽管在系统发育研究中分离株几乎是单系的，但其中五个在实验室生物测定中对 T.absoluta 非常有效；然而，大规模生产还需要进一步的现场评估。