Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adults

Autores
Lozano, Francisco; Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe; Leclerque, Andreas; Schuster, Christina; Rivas-Franco, Federico; Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción
Año de publicación
2025
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Blattella germanica is the most prevalent synanthropic pest and negatively impacts human health, as do the synthetic chemical insecticides used to control them. In contrast, Metarhizium spp. is a well known fungus that can infect insects and other arthropods, causing death to their hosts. When cultivated in liquid medium it produces blastospores. This propagule has the potential to be used as a biological control agent for cockroaches. The aim of this study was to identify eleven native Metarhizium strains from Argentina through molecular taxonomy, evaluate blastospores and biomass production in submerged fermentation, and assess the pathogenicity of the blastospores against adult B. germanica cockroaches. For the molecular identification of the strains, diagnostic PCR amplification was performed using previously developed primers for region markers EF1A, RPB1, RPB2, 5TEF, MzIGS3, and rIGS-ID800. In order to elucidate blastospores production, a conidia suspension was inoculated into Adamek liquid medium. Samples were taken at 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h to quantify blastospore production, and at 96 h blastospores were harvested, dry biomass was weighted and the pH of the liquid medium was assessed. The strains showed blastospores production at 96 h or earlier, except for two strains, and statistically significant maximum blastospores production was reached at 48 h for most strains. A blastospore suspension of 1E + 07 blastospore/mL was applied by spray to B. germanica adults, and mortality was assessed every two days for 20 days after application. Dead cockroaches were placed in a humid chamber and periodically observed for Metarhizium growth. Blastospores significantly reduced the survivorship of B. germanica adults. Species-discriminating diagnostic PCR and phylogenetic reconstruction was successful in assigning ten of the strains to different species within the Metarhizium PARB clade: four strains to Metarhizium brunneum and three strains each to Metarhizium hybridum and Metarhizium robertsii. One strain had previously been shown to belong to the distantly related species Metarhizium argentinense. This study, therefore, constitutes the first description of M. hybridum from Argentina and provides the first report of direct contact application of fungal blastospores as a pathogenic approach against cockroaches, reducing B. germanica adult survivorship.
EEA Rafaela
Fil: Lozano, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina
Fil: Lozano, Francisco. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina
Fil: Lozano, Francisco. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina
Fil: Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IdICaL); Argentina
Fil: Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina
Fil: Leclerque, Andreas. Technische Universität Darmstadt. Department of Biology. Insect-Associated Microorganisms and Microbial Control; Alemania
Fil: Schuster, Christina. Technische Universität Darmstadt. Department of Biology. Insect-Associated Microorganisms and Microbial Control; Alemania
Fil: Rivas-Franco, Federico. Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA). Estación Las Brujas; Uruguay
Fil: Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina
Fil: Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina
Fuente
Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 214 : 108471. (February 2026)
Materia
Metarhizium
Identification
Blattella germanica
Biological Control
Identificación
Control Biológico
Argentina
Metarhizium hybridum
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso restringido
Condiciones de uso
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Repositorio
INTA Digital (INTA)
Institución
Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
OAI Identificador
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spelling Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adultsLozano, FranciscoManfrino, Romina GuadalupeLeclerque, AndreasSchuster, ChristinaRivas-Franco, FedericoGutierrez, Alejandra ConcepciónMetarhiziumIdentificationBlattella germanicaBiological ControlIdentificaciónControl BiológicoArgentinaMetarhizium hybridumBlattella germanica is the most prevalent synanthropic pest and negatively impacts human health, as do the synthetic chemical insecticides used to control them. In contrast, Metarhizium spp. is a well known fungus that can infect insects and other arthropods, causing death to their hosts. When cultivated in liquid medium it produces blastospores. This propagule has the potential to be used as a biological control agent for cockroaches. The aim of this study was to identify eleven native Metarhizium strains from Argentina through molecular taxonomy, evaluate blastospores and biomass production in submerged fermentation, and assess the pathogenicity of the blastospores against adult B. germanica cockroaches. For the molecular identification of the strains, diagnostic PCR amplification was performed using previously developed primers for region markers EF1A, RPB1, RPB2, 5TEF, MzIGS3, and rIGS-ID800. In order to elucidate blastospores production, a conidia suspension was inoculated into Adamek liquid medium. Samples were taken at 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h to quantify blastospore production, and at 96 h blastospores were harvested, dry biomass was weighted and the pH of the liquid medium was assessed. The strains showed blastospores production at 96 h or earlier, except for two strains, and statistically significant maximum blastospores production was reached at 48 h for most strains. A blastospore suspension of 1E + 07 blastospore/mL was applied by spray to B. germanica adults, and mortality was assessed every two days for 20 days after application. Dead cockroaches were placed in a humid chamber and periodically observed for Metarhizium growth. Blastospores significantly reduced the survivorship of B. germanica adults. Species-discriminating diagnostic PCR and phylogenetic reconstruction was successful in assigning ten of the strains to different species within the Metarhizium PARB clade: four strains to Metarhizium brunneum and three strains each to Metarhizium hybridum and Metarhizium robertsii. One strain had previously been shown to belong to the distantly related species Metarhizium argentinense. This study, therefore, constitutes the first description of M. hybridum from Argentina and provides the first report of direct contact application of fungal blastospores as a pathogenic approach against cockroaches, reducing B. germanica adult survivorship.EEA RafaelaFil: Lozano, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Lozano, Francisco. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Lozano, Francisco. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IdICaL); ArgentinaFil: Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); ArgentinaFil: Leclerque, Andreas. Technische Universität Darmstadt. Department of Biology. Insect-Associated Microorganisms and Microbial Control; AlemaniaFil: Schuster, Christina. Technische Universität Darmstadt. Department of Biology. Insect-Associated Microorganisms and Microbial Control; AlemaniaFil: Rivas-Franco, Federico. Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA). Estación Las Brujas; UruguayFil: Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaElsevier2025-10-17T14:53:23Z2025-10-17T14:53:23Z2026-02info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/24205https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S00222011250020580022-20111096-0805https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2025.108471Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 214 : 108471. (February 2026)reponame:INTA Digital (INTA)instname:Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuariaenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccesshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)2026-01-08T10:40:53Zoai:localhost:20.500.12123/24205instacron:INTAInstitucionalhttp://repositorio.inta.gob.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://repositorio.inta.gob.ar/oai/requesttripaldi.nicolas@inta.gob.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:l2026-01-08 10:40:54.424INTA Digital (INTA) - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuariafalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adults
title Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adults
spellingShingle Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adults
Lozano, Francisco
Metarhizium
Identification
Blattella germanica
Biological Control
Identificación
Control Biológico
Argentina
Metarhizium hybridum
title_short Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adults
title_full Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adults
title_fullStr Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adults
title_full_unstemmed Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adults
title_sort Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adults
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Lozano, Francisco
Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe
Leclerque, Andreas
Schuster, Christina
Rivas-Franco, Federico
Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción
author Lozano, Francisco
author_facet Lozano, Francisco
Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe
Leclerque, Andreas
Schuster, Christina
Rivas-Franco, Federico
Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción
author_role author
author2 Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe
Leclerque, Andreas
Schuster, Christina
Rivas-Franco, Federico
Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Metarhizium
Identification
Blattella germanica
Biological Control
Identificación
Control Biológico
Argentina
Metarhizium hybridum
topic Metarhizium
Identification
Blattella germanica
Biological Control
Identificación
Control Biológico
Argentina
Metarhizium hybridum
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Blattella germanica is the most prevalent synanthropic pest and negatively impacts human health, as do the synthetic chemical insecticides used to control them. In contrast, Metarhizium spp. is a well known fungus that can infect insects and other arthropods, causing death to their hosts. When cultivated in liquid medium it produces blastospores. This propagule has the potential to be used as a biological control agent for cockroaches. The aim of this study was to identify eleven native Metarhizium strains from Argentina through molecular taxonomy, evaluate blastospores and biomass production in submerged fermentation, and assess the pathogenicity of the blastospores against adult B. germanica cockroaches. For the molecular identification of the strains, diagnostic PCR amplification was performed using previously developed primers for region markers EF1A, RPB1, RPB2, 5TEF, MzIGS3, and rIGS-ID800. In order to elucidate blastospores production, a conidia suspension was inoculated into Adamek liquid medium. Samples were taken at 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h to quantify blastospore production, and at 96 h blastospores were harvested, dry biomass was weighted and the pH of the liquid medium was assessed. The strains showed blastospores production at 96 h or earlier, except for two strains, and statistically significant maximum blastospores production was reached at 48 h for most strains. A blastospore suspension of 1E + 07 blastospore/mL was applied by spray to B. germanica adults, and mortality was assessed every two days for 20 days after application. Dead cockroaches were placed in a humid chamber and periodically observed for Metarhizium growth. Blastospores significantly reduced the survivorship of B. germanica adults. Species-discriminating diagnostic PCR and phylogenetic reconstruction was successful in assigning ten of the strains to different species within the Metarhizium PARB clade: four strains to Metarhizium brunneum and three strains each to Metarhizium hybridum and Metarhizium robertsii. One strain had previously been shown to belong to the distantly related species Metarhizium argentinense. This study, therefore, constitutes the first description of M. hybridum from Argentina and provides the first report of direct contact application of fungal blastospores as a pathogenic approach against cockroaches, reducing B. germanica adult survivorship.
EEA Rafaela
Fil: Lozano, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina
Fil: Lozano, Francisco. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina
Fil: Lozano, Francisco. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina
Fil: Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IdICaL); Argentina
Fil: Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina
Fil: Leclerque, Andreas. Technische Universität Darmstadt. Department of Biology. Insect-Associated Microorganisms and Microbial Control; Alemania
Fil: Schuster, Christina. Technische Universität Darmstadt. Department of Biology. Insect-Associated Microorganisms and Microbial Control; Alemania
Fil: Rivas-Franco, Federico. Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA). Estación Las Brujas; Uruguay
Fil: Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina
Fil: Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina
description Blattella germanica is the most prevalent synanthropic pest and negatively impacts human health, as do the synthetic chemical insecticides used to control them. In contrast, Metarhizium spp. is a well known fungus that can infect insects and other arthropods, causing death to their hosts. When cultivated in liquid medium it produces blastospores. This propagule has the potential to be used as a biological control agent for cockroaches. The aim of this study was to identify eleven native Metarhizium strains from Argentina through molecular taxonomy, evaluate blastospores and biomass production in submerged fermentation, and assess the pathogenicity of the blastospores against adult B. germanica cockroaches. For the molecular identification of the strains, diagnostic PCR amplification was performed using previously developed primers for region markers EF1A, RPB1, RPB2, 5TEF, MzIGS3, and rIGS-ID800. In order to elucidate blastospores production, a conidia suspension was inoculated into Adamek liquid medium. Samples were taken at 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h to quantify blastospore production, and at 96 h blastospores were harvested, dry biomass was weighted and the pH of the liquid medium was assessed. The strains showed blastospores production at 96 h or earlier, except for two strains, and statistically significant maximum blastospores production was reached at 48 h for most strains. A blastospore suspension of 1E + 07 blastospore/mL was applied by spray to B. germanica adults, and mortality was assessed every two days for 20 days after application. Dead cockroaches were placed in a humid chamber and periodically observed for Metarhizium growth. Blastospores significantly reduced the survivorship of B. germanica adults. Species-discriminating diagnostic PCR and phylogenetic reconstruction was successful in assigning ten of the strains to different species within the Metarhizium PARB clade: four strains to Metarhizium brunneum and three strains each to Metarhizium hybridum and Metarhizium robertsii. One strain had previously been shown to belong to the distantly related species Metarhizium argentinense. This study, therefore, constitutes the first description of M. hybridum from Argentina and provides the first report of direct contact application of fungal blastospores as a pathogenic approach against cockroaches, reducing B. germanica adult survivorship.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-10-17T14:53:23Z
2025-10-17T14:53:23Z
2026-02
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
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info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/24205
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022201125002058
0022-2011
1096-0805
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2025.108471
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/24205
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022201125002058
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2025.108471
identifier_str_mv 0022-2011
1096-0805
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
eu_rights_str_mv restrictedAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 214 : 108471. (February 2026)
reponame:INTA Digital (INTA)
instname:Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
reponame_str INTA Digital (INTA)
collection INTA Digital (INTA)
instname_str Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
repository.name.fl_str_mv INTA Digital (INTA) - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
repository.mail.fl_str_mv tripaldi.nicolas@inta.gob.ar
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