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Microcycle Conidia Production in an Entomopathogenic Fungus Beauveria bassiana: The Role of Chitin Deacetylase in the Conidiation and the Contribution of Nanocoating in Conidial Stability

Summary

Scientists studied how a fungus called Beauveria bassiana can produce spores more efficiently for pest control. They found that creating spores directly from other spores (microcycle conidiation) produces five times more spores in less time. Coating these spores with special nano-sized particles made them more stable in heat and sunlight while keeping them deadly to pest insects like the tobacco armyworm.

Background

Entomopathogenic fungi like Beauveria bassiana are used for pest biocontrol requiring large quantities of conidia. Microcycle conidiation is a process where conidia germinate directly into secondary conidia, bypassing normal hyphal growth stages. This study investigates mechanisms and applications of microcycle conidia production in B. bassiana.

Objective

The study aimed to investigate the role of chitin deacetylase in microcycle conidia production in B. bassiana and evaluate nanocoating with chitosan or alginate-chitosan nanoparticles to enhance conidial stability and virulence.

Results

SY-grown inoculum enhanced microcycle conidia production 5-fold compared to aerial conidia within 10 days, yielding 1.48 × 10^12 conidia/kg rice. Higher chitin deacetylase to chitosanase activity ratios correlated with microcycle conidiation. Nanocoated microcycle conidia showed improved temperature and UV stability with 90% larval mortality compared to 83% for aerial conidia.

Conclusion

Chitin deacetylase plays a significant role in microcycle conidiation in B. bassiana. Nanocoatings with chitosan or alginate-chitosan nanoparticles enhance environmental stability while maintaining virulence, offering cost-effective mass production for field pest control applications.
  • Published in:Microorganisms,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: PMID: 40284736, DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms13040900
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