TRITROPHIC INTERACTION BETWEEN THE INVASIVE INSECT PEST DIABROTICA VIRGIFERA VIRGIFERA, ITS HOST PLANT MAIZE AND ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI, ACREMONIUM STRICTUM

Md. Habibullah  Bahar; Stefan Vidal Vidal; Dr. Joachim  Möser

doi:10.53808/KUS.SI.FRCC.2006.69-72-ls

Authors

Md. Habibullah Bahar Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Bangladesh
Stefan Vidal Vidal Institute of Plant Pathology and Plant Protection, Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany
Dr. Joachim Möser Institute of Plant Pathology and Plant Protection, Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53808/KUS.SI.FRCC.2006.69-72-ls

Keywords:

insect, endophytic fungi, maize, alkaloids

Abstract

Root feeding experiments were performed to determine the effect of endophytic fungus, Acremonium strictum, on the feeding behavior of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte larvae (western corn rootworm = WCR) at the Institute of Plant Pathology and Plant Protection, Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany. Maize (Zea mays) plants were inoculated by endophytic fungus, A. strictum and the roots were fed to WCR larvae in newly adopted experimental test tubes. Three parameters, viz. weight gained by larvae after root feeding; the amount of ingested food and food conversion efficiency (ECI) were measured. The fungus reduced the root feeding of WCR larvae; however the results were not statistically significant. The weights gained by larvae were higher in control than treatment. The ECI value of control was significantly higher than Acremonium treatment. Results suggest that this fungus can reduce the suitability of roots of maize plants to WCR larvae.

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