Detection the influence of some endophytic Aspergillus strains on Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract

In the present study, endophytes are important source for the discovery of bioactive compounds to control Galleria mellonella, the destructive pest to apiary. The isolates were identified as Aspergillus parasiticus speare 13939 and Aspergillus carbonarius van Tieghem 13943. The isolates were assessed for their crude extracts against the 4^th instar larvae of G. mellonella. A. parasiticus exhibited the most potent larvicidal activity after 3, 5, 7 and 9 days post treatment, respectively. A. parasiticus filtrate caused the highest mortality after 7 days recording (50 %) at 8 % concentration. The mortality was strong by using 5 % of A. carbonarius filtrate (75 %) after 3 days of treatment. However, the mortality was weak with 9% of A. carbonarius (25 % at 9 days). In the same time, 1% of A. carbonarius showed weak effect on the percents of wax moth larval mortality (50 % at 9 days). As well as, the highest mortality percent of A. carbonarius was 62.5 % when the wax moth larvae were treated by 7 ml containing 34.6×10⁶ spore ml^-1 after 11 days of incubation. The highest mortality percentage 75 % as 1ml from different volumes of A. parasiticus was obtained using 7 ml containing 11.13×10⁶ spore ml^-1 on wax moth larvae after 7 days of incubation. The effective concentrations of spore suspensions could be arranged in descending manner according to the mortality of wax moth larvae. Finally, all results indicated that these endophytic fungi could be a potential ecofriendly source of bioactive metabolites with insecticidal activity and can be used in integrated management program.