Clonostachys rosea, a new and promising entomopathogenic fungus infecting pupa of jujube fruit fly, Carpomya vesuviana

Jujube fruit fly, Carpomyia vesuviana, is the most important pest of jujube in Iran. During February and March 2013, a survey on fungi associated with pupae of C. vesuviana was conducted in Birjand, South Khorasan province of Iran. To isolate fungi, the samples were washed under running tap water, surfacesterilized in 0.5% sodium hypochlorite, then rinsed and placed onto potato dextrose agar. Out of eight isolates of Clonostachys rosea obtained in this study, only one showed considerable pathogenicity against the pupa of C. vesuviana. This isolate was additionally examined using the morphological and molecular studies, based on ITS-rDNA. Both morphological and molecular data confirmed the identity of this fungus as Clonostachys rosea. Based on pathogenicity assays, significant mortality of inoculated pupa (46%) was recorded with a conidial suspension of 1010 (spore/ ml). Median Lethal Time (LT50) and LC50 values of this isolate against pupa of C. vesuviana were calculated 4.6 days and 5.1×10^4 spore/ml, respectively. A significant positive correlation between different 3 C. rosea concentrations and mortality of C. vesuviana was observed (r²= 0.9986, p= 0.003). Clonostachys rosea is here reported as a newand promising entomopathogenic fungus on C. vesuviana, suggesting that it is likely to play roles in protecting jujube trees against this pest.