First record of Aspergillus nomiae as a broad-spectrum entomopathogenic fungus that provides resistance against phytopathogens and insect pests by colonization of plants

Zhengkun Zhang; Yifan Tian; Li Sui; Yang Lu; Ke Cheng; Yu Zhao; Qiyun Li; Wangpeng Shi

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2023.1284276

First record of Aspergillus nomiae as a broad-spectrum entomopathogenic fungus that provides resistance against phytopathogens and insect pests by colonization of plants

Front Microbiol. 2024 Jan 8:14:1284276. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1284276. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Zhengkun Zhang^{1

2

3}, Yifan Tian^{1

2

3

4}, Li Sui^{1

2

3}, Yang Lu^{1

2

3}, Ke Cheng^{1

2

3}, Yu Zhao^{1

2

3}, Qiyun Li^{1

2

3

4

5}, Wangpeng Shi⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Plant Protection, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China.
² Jilin Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Changchun, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northeast China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, Changchun, China.
⁴ Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
⁵ Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology University, Jilin, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Aspergillus nomiae is known as a pathogenic fungus that infects humans and plants but has never been reported as an entomophagous fungus (EPF) that can provide other functions as an endotype.

Methods: A strain of EPF was isolated and identified from diseased larvae of Spodoptera litura in a soybean field and designated AnS1Gzl-1. Pathogenicity of the strain toward various insect pests was evaluated, especially the ability to colonize plants and induce resistance against phytopathogens and insect pests.

Results: The isolated EPF strain AnS1Gzl-1 was identified as A. nomiae; it showed strong pathogenicity toward five insect pests belonging to Lepidoptera and Hemiptera. Furthermore, the strain inhibited the growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in vitro, a causal agent of soil-borne plant disease. It colonized plants as an endophyte via root irrigation with a high colonization rate of 90%, thereby inducing plant resistance against phytopathogen infection, and disrupting the feeding selectivity of S. litura larvae.

Discussion: This is the first record of a natural infection of A. nomiae on insects. A. nomiae has the potential to be used as a dual biocontrol EPF because of its ability to not only kill a broad spectrum of insect pests directly but also induce resistance against phytopathogens via plant colonization.

Keywords: Aspergillus nomiae; biological control; endogenous colonization; entomophagous fungus; plant disease resistance.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was supported by the Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Project (grant no. CXGC2021ZD008) and the Jilin Project for Outstanding Talents (Teams) for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Science and Technology (grant no. 20230508011RC).