Project
Inventory and study of Hirsutella sp., an entomopathogenic fungus of the cyclamen mite, in order to develop a conservation biological control strategy for strawberry productionThe cyclamen mite is an important pest in strawberry cultivation, causing high yield losses with very few control methods available. However, some growers are doing admirably well with very low mite infestations and little or no acaricide application. During exploratory trials conducted in 2020 and 2021 to investigate this phenomenon, we discovered mites naturally mycosed by an indigenous entomopathogenic fungus on seven different strawberry farms. Sequencing of the fungus revealed that it was a fungus of the genus Hirsutella sp. We believe that the presence of entomopathogenic fungi in certain fields facilitates the control of mites and that certain farm practices (crop management, agricultural inputs, etc.) influence the presence of these fungi. The objectives of this project are therefore to determine the distribution of Hirsutella in strawberry fields in Quebec and to identify the factors affecting its distribution, but also to validate the pathogenicity of the fungus against the cyclamen mite.
