Chapter V-3 – Fungi: Hyphomycetes

TLDR: It is found that although most entomopathogenic Hyphomycetes will produce blastospores in submerged culture, specific parameters need to be evaluated and adjusted for every strain studied for optimum blastospore production.

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses isolation, culture, and production of order Hyphomycetes. Hyphomycetes are filamentous fungi that reproduce by conidia generally formed aerially on conidiophores arising from the substrate. Most entomopathogenic Hyphomycetes are facultative pathogens and are relatively easily grown in pure culture on defined or semidefined media. Entomopathogenic Hyphomycetes may be harvested directly from insect cadavers on which the fungus has already sporulated. Another isolation method requires the homogenization of cadavers followed by dilution plating of the homogenate on an appropriate selective medium. Selective media are frequently used for the isolation of entomopathogenic Hyphomycetes. Inhibition of contaminant fungi is more problematic than bacteria, and fungal contaminants are invariably a problem when attempting to isolate entomopathogenic Hyphomycetes from soil. It is found that although most entomopathogenic Hyphomycetes will produce blastospores in submerged culture, specific parameters need to be evaluated and adjusted for every strain studied for optimum blastospore production. An approach for bioassay of entomopathogenic fungi against fourth instar nymphs of the silverleaf whitefly is also elaborated.