• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.195-201
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• 2017

The entomopathogenic fungus Zoophthora radicans (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae) was found to infect Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, Plutella xylostella, Myzus persicae and one unidentifed species. Samples of the fungus were collected from three areas (Jinan, Gimje, and Iksan) in Jeollabuk-do, Korea. Infected insects appeared in July and September, during which time population infection rate of Z. radicans on C. medinalis reached up to 46%. Zoophthora radicans hyphal bodies are rod-like to hyphoid, and primary conidia are bullet-shaped to long ovoid. The fungus was isolated from the surfaces of larvae and cultured in Sabouraud dextrose agar with yeast extract (SDAY). The optimal temperature range for mycelial growth was $20{\sim}28^{\circ}C$. Mycelium growth on SDAY supplemented with egg yolk and milk (SDAY-EM) was higher than on SDAY alone. Zoophthora radicans may play an important role in controlling insect population density using naturally induced epizootics.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.284-292
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• 2012

To date, chemical control remains the most common way to reduce beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua) populations. However, this insect has become more tolerant or resistant to many chemical insecticides and the insect larvae usually hide inside hollow, tube-like leaves of host plant so they were difficult to kill by spraying insecticides. The use of viral and bacterial insecticide to solve these problems has not been successful because of their novel feeding habit. To overcome these problems, in this study, the biological characteristics and virulence of an entomopathogenic fungus isolated from the cadaver of larvae beet armyworm were investigated. Isolated entomopathogenic fungus was identified as Nomeraea rileyi (Farlow) Samson by morphological examinations and genetic identification using sequences of the ITS, ${\beta}$-tubulin gene and EF1-${\alpha}$ regions. This fungus was named as N. rileyi SDSe. Virulence tests against 3rd larvae of beet armyworm were conducted with various conidial suspensions from $1{\times}10^4$ to $10^8$ conidia/ml of N. rileyi SDSe in laboratory conditions. Mortality rate of beet armyworm showed from 20 to 54% and the virulence increased with increasing conidial concentrations. Although N. rileyi SDSe showed low mortality rate against beet armyworm, it is expected that N. rileyi SDSe will be used effectively in the integrated pest management programs against the beet armyworm.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2015

Increased use of rhinoceros beetles (Allomyrina dichotoma ) for food and medicine, and their elevated value as pets has led to an increase in the number of their breeding farms. Mass breeding of the insects in these farms leads to entomological diseases. In this study, we investigate cannibalism resulting from overcrowded breeding of A. dichotoma larvae, as well as secondary fungal infections in epidermal wounds in the surviving larvae. Some of the fungi detected in the present study showed entomopathogenicity, and the larvae showed different times of death. In particular, larvae infected with Clonostachys sp., an endophytic plant fungus, grew for a long time after infection, but died without pupating.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2015

Entomopathogenic fungi have been studied to develop for biological control agents as an alternative to chemical control agents in insect pest management. Two Lepidopteran insects, Spodoptera exigua and Plutella xylostella, are serious insect pests infested various crops, but not effectively controlled by commercial chemical pesticides due to its high insecticide resistance. A fungal isolate was isolated from S. exigua larvae collected from green onion field in Andong, Korea. To identify the fungal isolate, 18srRNA sequence for internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and ${\beta}$-tubulin regions were sequenced. The ITS and ${\beta}$-tubulin sequence were highly matched to Beauveria bassiana and morphological characteristics also was fit to known B. bassiana. Finally, isolated fungus has identified as B. bassiana and named B. bassiana ANU1. The result of bioassay, median lethal concentrations were $2.7{\times}10^3$ and $0.9{\times}10^3conidia/ml$ and medial lethal times were 65.6 and 60.8 h to S. exigua and P. xylostella, respectively. B. bassiana ANU1 showed high pathogenicity to two insect pests from $20^{\circ}C$ to $30^{\circ}C$ at 50% relative humidity (RH) and more than 40% RH at $25^{\circ}C$ with $10^7conidia/ml$ of concentration.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2013

The greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, is an economically important pest for greenhouse crops because they cause direct damage by feeding on plant nutrients and indirect damage as transmits many virus vectors. It has recently become a serious problem because of the continuous use of insecticide resulting in resistance among greenhouse whitefly population. To overcome these problems, in this study, the biological characteristics and virulence of an entomopathogenic fungus isolated from the cadaver of nymph greenhouse whitefly were investigated. Isolated fungus was identified as Isaria fumosorosea by morphological examinations and genetic identification using sequences of the ITS, ${\beta}$-tubulin, and EF1-${\alpha}$ regions. This fungus was named as I. fumosorosea SDTv and tested for the virulence against nymphs T. vaporariorum and the cold activity, the thermotolerance and the stability of UV-B irradiation on conidia. Mortality rate of greenhouse whitefly showed from 84 to 100% and the virulence increased with increasing conidial concentrations, $1{\times}10^5$ to $10^8$ conidia/ml. Conidia were stable at $35^{\circ}C$, 0.1 $J/cm^2$ of UV irradiation and germinated after 8 days at $4^{\circ}C$. Additionally, the activities of chitinases and proteases produced by I. fumosorosea SDTv were varied according to the medium. In conclusion, I. fumosorosea SDTv which showed high mortality rate against greenhouse whitefly will be used effectively in the integrated pest management programs against the greenhouse whitefly.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.112-115
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• 2003

NIAST has developed the artificial cultivation technique of entomopathogenic fungus, Isaria sinclairii by using the silkworm. NIAST is planning to provide the silkworm farmers the guidance of the technique. Screening of pharmacologically active principles of I. sinclairii is needed to register the fungal breeding, attain the approval of food materials, and ultimately position the fungus as a high value-added product. The result of investigating the characteristics of Isaria sinclairii was showed that conidia were irregularly long oval-shaped and measured 6.33$\times$3.33 $\mu\textrm{m}$ in average The optimal condition of cultivating hyphae was pH 5.0 in acidity and 21- $25^{\circ}C$ in temperature. And the best condition of producing conidia was pH 6.0 in acidity and 16-$20^{\circ}C$ in temperature.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.27 no.3 s.90
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• pp.206-207
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• 1999

Hirsutella subulata (Hyphomycetes) was observed for the first time on diseased larvae of Chilo suppressalis in Korea. This fungus formed slender and slightly attenuated synnemata consisting of closely bound, longitudinal hyphae on the insect larvae. Typical characteristics of this species are ellipsoid or broadly obovoid phialides with slender, needle-like necks and asymmetric conidia. It is very similar to H. barberi but can be distinguished by its asymmetrical conidia.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.560-567
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• 2005

Three groups of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) (designated as Fr-I, Fr-II, and Fr-III) were isolated from the culture filtrates of Paecilomyces sinclairii by gel filtration chromatography on Sepharose CL-4B. Their molecular characteristics were examined by multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS) connected online to a size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and refractive index (RI) detector system. The weight-average molar mass of Fr-I, Fr-II, and Fr-III of EPSs were determined to be $1.540{\times}10^6,\;6.302{\times}10^4$, and $9.389{\times}10^4\;g/mol$, respectively. All three EPSs showed a fairly low polydispersity indice, ranging from 1.008 to 1.059 (nearly mono disperse behavior), and showed different carbohydrates and amino acids compositions; all fractions of EPSs consisted of mainly cystine, valine, and arginine in the protein moiety, and mainly ribose, galactose, and glucose in the carbohydrate moiety. The determination of gyration radii of the EPSs in SEC/MALLS analysis revealed the molecular shape of the Fr-I to be a rod-like structure, whereas the Fr-II and Fr-III had a random-coil structure in an aqueous solution.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.374-379
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• 2020

The white-spotted flower chafer (Protaetia brevitarsis) larva is one of the insects widely-used for edible and medicinal purposes in Eastern Asia. As a result of increasing demand for P. brevitarsis, massrearing systems in domestic farms have become necessary. However, the mass-rearing of larvae under confined rearing conditions could provide conditions unsuitable for preventing entomopathogenic diseases. Metarhizium anisopliae is the strongest fatal entomopathogenic fungus against P. brevitarsis. For inhibition of M. anisopliae, we used a Rhus verniciflua Stokes extract that has antifungal components. We investigated the inhibitory effect of the R. verniciflua extract at 1%, 5%, and 10% concentrations. The results showed that a 1% R. verniciflua extract added to sawdust produced a significantly low P. brevitarsis mortality rate. Moreover, extract-treated groups were heavier and had a shorter larval period than those of the untreated group. Consequently, we suggest that using an R. verniciflua extract can reduce the P. brevitarsis fatality rate from entomopathogenic fungi (e.g. M. anisopliae), resulting in more effective mass-rearing systems for P. brevitarsis.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.365-370
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• 1999

To optimize the culture conditions for Beauveria bassiana 726, the effects of culture medium, pH, and temperature on mycelium and spore production were investigated. The optimum temperature and pH for the cultivation of B. bassiana 726 were 28 $^{\circ}C$ and 5.0, respectively. The optimized medium was composed of 1.0~2.0% total sugar from molasses, 0.5% corn steep liquor and 0.05% KH$_2$PO$_4$. In the cultivation of B. bassiana 726 with the optimum medium, the specific growth rate and substrate utilization were well-fitted with the proposed kinetic model in the shake flask and stirred tank reactor. When the fed-batch cultivation using carbon suorce, nitrogen source, and mineral salt as a feeding medium was compared with batch cultivation in stirred tank reactor, mycelium (12.7 g/L) and spore production (5.4$\times$$10^8/mL$) were enhanced up to 110% and 85%, respectively.