Like all other plants, trees are vulnerable to attack by a multitude of pests and pathogens. Current control measures for many of these diseases are limited and relatively ineffective. Several methods, including the use of conventional synthetic agro-chemicals, are employed to reduce the impact of pests and diseases. However, because of mounting concerns about adverse effects on the environment and a variety of economic reasons, this limited management of tree diseases by chemical methods is losing ground. The use of biological control, as a more environmentally friendly alternative, is becoming increasingly popular in plant protection. This can include the deployment of soil inoculants and foliar sprays, but the increased knowledge of microbial ecology in the phytosphere, in particular phylloplane microbes and endophytes, has stimulated new thinking for biocontrol approaches. Endophytes are microbes that live within plant tissues. As such, they hold potential as biocontrol agents against plant diseases because they are able to colonize the same ecological niche favoured by many invading pathogens. However, the development and exploitation of endophytes as biocontrol agents will have to overcome numerous challenges. The optimization and improvement of strategies employed in endophyte research can contribute towards discovering effective and competent biocontrol agents. The impact of environment and plant genotype on selecting potentially beneficial and exploitable endophytes for biocontrol is poorly understood. How endophytes synergise or antagonise one another is also an important factor. This review focusses on recent research addressing the biocontrol of plant diseases and pests using endophytic fungi and bacteria, alongside the challenges and limitations encountered and how these can be overcome. We frame this review in the context of tree pests and diseases, since trees are arguably the most difficult plant species to study, work on and manage, yet they represent one of the most important organisms on Earth.

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Endophytes vs tree pathogens and pests: can they be used as biological control agents to improve tree health?

The focus of this study was on quantifying fitness attributes, such as spore density and viability, and determining the virulence level against aphid (Aphis gossypii) nymphs of isolates from the fungal species Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae. The fungal isolates were obtained from several insects, including Plutella xylostella, Hypothenemus hampei, Bronstispa longissima, A. gossypii, Tenebrio molitor, and Leptocorisa acuta, that were collected from Indonesian islands, such as Sumatera, Java, and Sulawesi. Third instar aphid nymphs were inoculated via topical application of 10(6) conidia ml(-1) of the entomopathogenic fungal isolates. All of the B. bassiana and M. anisopliae isolates could produce very dense spores. The M. anisopliae isolate MaAg, which was obtained from the aphid, had the highest spore density at 6.70 × 10(8) conidia ml(-1). Among the B. bassiana isolates, the highest conidial viability belonged to isolate CPJW8, which was obtained from Chrysodeixis chalcites, with a 39% average viability. Among the M. anisopliae isolates, the highest viabilities belonged to the isolates MaAg and MaLa, which were obtained from L. acuta, with a 33% and 32% average viabilities, respectively. All of the B. bassiana and M. anisopliae isolates were virulent against aphid nymphs, with mortality rates ranging from 64% to 94%. The three most virulent isolates were BBY715 (94%), MPx (92%), and MaTm (92%), and the least virulent isolate was MaLa (64%). BBY715, the most virulent isolate, had the shortest lethal time median (LT50) against aphid nymphs at 2.97 hours, and MaLa had the longest LT50 at 61.81 hours.

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Spore Density and Viability of Entomopathogenic Fungal Isolates from Indonesia, and Their Virulence against Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae).

Molecular phylogeny of Rigidoporus microporus isolates associated with white rot disease of rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis).

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens can cause direct damage and transmit rice diseases.  Beauveria bassiana is used to control BPH, however the success of the fungal efficacy on rice fields is affected by external factors, such as temperature. This research aimed to evaluate the conidial viability and density of B. bassiana isolates from Java and Sumatra, exposed to 25 and 34°C and their virulence against BPH nymphs. Twenty six isolates of B. bassiana cultures incubated at 25 and 34°C for 7 days were observed on their conidial density, viability, and  virulence against BPH nymphs. The incubation temperature of 34°C was able to decrease conidial density and viability, and virulence of the isolates.  However, some isolates of B. bassiana originated from soils or insects in Sumatra, especially from South Sumatra still produced high conidial density and viability as well as high virulent against BPH nymphs, such as TS1D3A, TSID3B, TS1D2A and TS1D2B isolates. The TS1D2B isolate incubated at 34°C still caused the highest percentage of BPH mortality (43.33%)  among other isolates. Therefore, the isolates can be used as promosing candidate for  biocontrol for N. lugens on rice planted in tropical ecosystem, such as wetland or lowland rice ecosystems in Indonesia.

https://agrivita.ub.ac.id/index.php/agrivita/article/download/2105/1123

Conidial Density and Viability of Beauveria bassiana Isolates from Java and Sumatra and Their Virulence Against Nilaparvata lugens at Different Temperatures

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi and similar organisms that can't be seen with the naked eye. The need to study these minute organisms started when scientists discovered the association of microbes to specific diseases. The roles of microbiology on the advances in the healthcare industry, especially in pharmaceutical and medical industry have led to great discoveries, from vaccines to devices. The growth of cosmetic industries also paralleled microbiological innovations, which in fact, paved the way to the study of cosmetic microbiology. By nature, our cells fight microbes that enter our body and this is commonly exhibited by pus formation and inflammation of wounds. Macrophages play an important role in immune system because they are capable of ingesting microbes that enter our body through open wounds. However, microbes could adapt and mutate rapidly, which results to opportunistic infectious diseases, such as HIV. On the contrary, microbes can also help us in ways like the way the \"good bacteria\" lactobacillus functions in our digestive system.

Short communication: Role of Microbiology in the Pharmaceutical & Medical Device

Entomopathogenic fungi are fungi pathogenic to insects and are widely used as biocontrol agents for insect pests. The aim of this research was to study the virulence of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium sp. isolates and to evaluate the efficacy of liquid production of those fungi against Leptocorisa oratorius (rice bug). Twelve isolates of B. bassiana and five isolates of Metarhizium sp. were used in this research. Selection result of B. bassiana isolates on third-instar rice bug nymphs showed that the isolate KBC caused the highest mortality rate (93%), while the lowest (46%) was caused by the isolate BBY 725. The shortest time needed to produce 50% mortality (Lethal time, LT50) was 3.52 days (isolate KBC). The longest time (10.36 days) was produced by isolate SLSS. The mortality of rice bug nymphs caused by Metarhizium isolates was only 50-62%. The shortest LT50 of Metarhizium (5.75 days) was produced by isolate Mtm, while the longest (7.46 days) was produced by isolate Mpx. Bioefficacy tests on six kinds of liquid formations of entomopathogenic fungi indicated that all were effective, mostly with LT50 d” two days. The mortality rates of rice bug nymphs caused by bioefficacy of fungus liquid production was generally above 85% up to 100%. The liquid media for entomopathogenic fungi performed better compared with solid media (SDA), as indicated by the greater mortality rate and shorter LT50.

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Selection of Isolates of Entomopathogenic Fungi and the Bioefficacy of Their Liquid Production against Leptocorisa oratorius Nymphs

The use of secondary fungal metabolites for the active ingredient of mycoinsecticide is more effective and
more easily integrated with other pest control techniques. This study aimed to measure the toxicity of the culture filtrate of entomopathogenic fungi originating from South Sumatra against the Spodoptera litura larvae. Beauveria bassiana (25 isolates) and Metarhizium anisopliae (20 isolates) of South Sumatra were cultured in liquid media and filtered to produce culture filtrate. The larvae
which were sick due to the filtrate showed the symptoms of decreased appetite and were not actively moving, while the dead larvae were characterized by being wrinkled, dry, black integument, and odorless. Mortality caused by B. bassiana filtrate was the highest 98% (BJgTs isolate) and not significantly different from the BSwTd2 isolate (94.67%). Yet, the LT50 BSwTd2 isolate was shorter (5.92 days) compared to the LT50 BJgTs isolate (6.35 days). The most toxic M. anisopliae filtrate produced the mortality of 96% (MKbTp2 isolate) and 85.33% (MPdB isolate) each of which had LT50 of 7.36 days and 8.09 days, respectively. So, the most toxic culture filtrate was BSwTd2 isolate of B. bassiana and MKbTp2 isolate of M. anisopliae. The entomopathogenic fungi producing filtrate which are toxic
have the potential to be active ingredients of mycoinsecticides.

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Toxicity of entomopathogenic fungal culture filtrate of lowland and highland soil of South Sumatra (Indonesia) against Spodoptera litura larvae

Distribution of Rigidoporus lignosus genotypes in a rubber plantation, as revealed by somatic compatibility

Species richness and abundance of spiders inhabiting rice in fresh swamps and tidal lowlands in South Sumatra, Indonesia.

Abundance and Species Diversity of Predatory Spiders for Insect Pests Inhabiting Ratoon Paddy in Tidal Lowland.  Ratoon paddy productivity is lower than the main crop.  Increasing productivity of the ratoon paddy is to protect the paddy from pests and diseases. This study aimed to analyze the abundance and species diversity of predatory spiders of rice pests on ratoon paddy in tidal lowland. Ratoon paddy field observed was from the main crop that has been harvested and cut 20 cm height. Paddy area observed was 2 ha field planted using Ciherang and Inpara varieties. Spiders inhabiting canopy were sampled using insect nets but soil dwelling spiders were trapped using pitfall traps. The result showed that spider species inhabiting canopy of ratoon paddy were Pardosa pseudoannulata, Lycosa chaperi, Araneus inustus, Cylosa insulana, Atypena adelinae, Erigone bifurca, Erigonidium graminicola, Oxyopes javanus, Argyrodes miniaceus, and Marpisa magister.  Spider species found soil dwelling were 11 species, namely Pardosa pseudoannulata, Pardosa sumatrana, Pardosa mackenziei, Pardosa oakleyi, Hogna rizali, Araneus inustus, Cylosa insulana, T. vermiformis, Runcinia albostriata, Coleosoma octomaculatum, and Marpisa magister. Abundance, species number, species diversity for soil dwelling spiders were higher than those for canopy inhabiting spiders. However, the abundance, species number, species diversity for the soil dwelling spiders  tended to be higher on the ratoon paddy 3, 4, and 5 week old than those on 1, 2, and 6 week old.  From the result, we concluded that abundance, species number, species diversity of spiders found in the ratoon paddy were higher or tended similar to those on the main crop.

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Suwandi

Papers

Selection of Isolates of Entomopathogenic Fungi and the Bioefficacy of Their Liquid Production against Leptocorisa oratorius Nymphs

Toxicity of entomopathogenic fungal culture filtrate of lowland and highland soil of South Sumatra (Indonesia) against Spodoptera litura larvae

Distribution of Rigidoporus lignosus genotypes in a rubber plantation, as revealed by somatic compatibility

Species richness and abundance of spiders inhabiting rice in fresh swamps and tidal lowlands in South Sumatra, Indonesia.

Kelimpahan dan Keanekaragaman Spesies Laba-laba Predator Hama Padi Ratun di Sawah Pasang Surut