U.S.-Brazil Cooperative Research: Ecological and Molecular Studies on Nomuraea Rileyi

9802635 Boucias美国-巴西奖项将支持佛罗里达大学的Drion G. Boucias博士和巴西巴西利亚Embrapa/CENARGEN的Myrian Silvana Tigano博士之间的研究合作。这些研究人员将研究一种可能用作害虫微生物防治剂的昆虫分枝原。在巴西，人们用这种名为野村菌（Nomuraea rileyi）的真菌来对付蚕豆毛虫（一种侵害大豆的害虫），结果发现，这种真菌足以在一整个季节内抑制这种害虫的种群密度。在北佛罗里达、巴西联邦区和巴拉那中部地区收集昆虫种群数据、大豆数据和天气数据后，研究人员将编制、审查和分析一个广泛的数据库，了解这种疾病的病原及其与各种生物和非生物因素的关系。他们将开发一个联合培养集，这将作为一个有价值的研究工具，从中筛选出的分离物可以作为微生物控制剂进行开发。从这些实地研究中收集的数据将增加我们对动物支原体在动物流行病状态下如何在没有伴随抗性昆虫选择的情况下发挥作用的理解。它还可能为如何操纵真菌提供见解，这是害虫和植物管理的可持续资源。＊＊＊

9802635 Boucias This U.S.-Brazil award will support a research collaboration between Dr. Drion G. Boucias of the University of Florida and Dr. Myrian Silvana Tigano of Embrapa/CENARGEN in Brasilia, Brazil. These researchers will study an insect mycopathogen that may be used as a microbial control agent against pest insects. In Brazil, this fungi, Nomuraea rileyi, was used against the velvetbean caterpillar, a pest that infests soybeans, and found it was sufficient to cause a season-long suppression in the population density of that pest insect. Collecting insect population data, soybean data and weather data from sites in North Florida, the Federal District of Brazil and in the central region of Parana, the reseachers will compile, review and analyze an extensive database on the disease agent and its relation to various biotic and abiotic factors. They will develop a joint culture collection that will serve as a valuable research tool from which selected isolates can be screened for development as microbial control agents. The data gathered from these field studies will increase our understanding of how animal mycopathogens operate in an epizootic state without concomitant selection for resistance insects. It may also provide insight into how to manipulate mycopathogens, which are a sustainable resource for pest insect and plant management. ***