Research Article

Susceptibility of different Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) populations to indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis strains

Volume: 47 Number: 1 April 25, 2023
TR EN

Susceptibility of different Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) populations to indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis strains

Abstract

Tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most important tomato pests worldwide and causes 100% product loss if not controlled. Chemical insecticides, which have been overused for many years, have induced resistance in the pests and made it difficult to control their populations in the field. The use of biological agents that express insecticidal proteins, such as Bacillus thuringiensis, is an alternative to conventional insecticides to suppress pest populations. In this study, to recover novel B. thuringiensis strains from soil samples, a survey was conducted in Bilecik province in 2021. Thirteen local B. thuringiensis strains were isolated and the susceptibility of three different field populations (Samsun, İzmir, and Bilecik) of T. absoluta to these strains was evaluated. Bacillus thuringiensis B3 (Bt-B3) strain, which contains lepidopteran-active toxin genes, was more virulent for all T. absoluta populations tested. In addition, Samsun population was more sensitive to the B3 strain than İzmir and Bilecik. The LC50 values of Bt-B3 were determined to be 13.28, 26.06 and 24.24 ppm for Samsun, İzmir and Bilecik populations, respectively. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene region confirmed that the isolate was B. thuringiensis, while electron microscopy revealed that the isolate produced bipyramidal, cubic and spherical insecticidal proteins. The results of this study indicate that the isolate Bt-B3 appears to be a promising biocontrol agent for integrated pest management of T. absoluta in Türkiye.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University

Project Number

2020-01.BŞEÜ.25-01

Thanks

This work was supported by Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Scientific Research Projects Division (Project Number: 2020-01.BŞEÜ.25-01).

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

-

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

April 25, 2023

Submission Date

December 12, 2022

Acceptance Date

April 24, 2023

Published in Issue

Year 2023 Volume: 47 Number: 1

APA
Eski, A. (2023). Susceptibility of different Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) populations to indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis strains. Turkish Journal of Entomology, 47(1), 101-110. https://doi.org/10.16970/entoted.1216414