Muscardine

Black muscardine is caused by Beauveria brongniartti and Metarhizium anisopliae.

Metarhizium species such as M. anisopliae can cause fatal disease in over 200 species of insect.Wang, C. and Y. Xia. [http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/browseIssue.action?issue=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fissue.pgen.v07.i01 Cover photo.] PLoS Genetics, January, 2011.

Aspergillosis of insects can be called brown muscardine. Over 10 Aspergillus species can cause the disease, such as A. flavus and A. tamari. The conidial layer may be brownish or greenish yellow.

Grassy muscardine is caused by Hirsutella necatrix.Vega, F. E. and H. K. Kaya. Insect Pathology. Academic Press. 2012. pg. 433. This fungus produces an enzyme that breaks down the chitin in its host's body.Chernin, L., et al. (1997). [http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/m97-062?journalCode=cjm#.Uapnj5zLjrc Chitinolytic activity of the acaropathogenic fungi Hirsutella thompsonii and Hirsutella necatrix.] Canadian Journal of Microbiology 43(5) 440-46.

Gray muscardine is caused by Isaria javanica.

Green muscardine disease is the presentation of a fungal infection of insects caused by members of the Metarhizium genus (now including Nomuraea rileyi), because of the green colour of their spores. Once the fungus has killed its host, mycelia invade the host's body and, under humid conditions, the insect cuticle becomes covered with a layer of green spores, hence the name of the disease.{{cite book|author1=Vladimir V. Gouli|author2=Svetlana Y. Gouli|author3=Jose A.P. Marcelino|title=Concise Illustrated Dictionary of Biocontrol Terms|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WQVkCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA71|date=6 November 2015|publisher=Elsevier Science|isbn=978-0-12-849898-9|page=71}} It was originally discovered as a pest of silk worms, upon which it was highly lethal.{{cite journal|journal=Annals of the Entomological Society of America|volume=19|issue=2|date=1 June 1926|author=R. W. Glaser|title=The Green Muscardine Disease in Silkworms and Its Control|url=https://academic.oup.com/aesa/article-abstract/19/2/180/31282?redirectedFrom=fulltext|pages=180–192 |doi=10.1093/aesa/19.2.180}} To insect mycologists and microbial control specialists, "green muscardine" refers to fungal infection caused by Metarhizium spp., whereas in sericulture, "green muscardine" refers to a similar fungal infection caused by Nomuraea rileyi.{{cite book|author1=Fernando E. Vega|author2=Harry K. Kaya|title=Insect Pathology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rb621PwkZdYC&pg=PA432|date=14 December 2011|publisher=Academic Press|isbn=978-0-12-384985-4|page=432}} Green muscardine has been identified as disease of over 200 known insect species.{{cite book|author=Richard Calderone|title=Fungal Pathogenesis: Principles and Clinical Applications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Il1EnrYrkPMC&pg=PA139|date=12 October 2001|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-0-8247-0568-8|page=139}}

Orange muscardine is caused by Sterigmatocystis japonica.

Penicillosis of insects is considered a type of muscardine, particularly when caused by Penicillium citrinum and P. granulatum.

Red muscardine is caused by Sporosporella uvella and Isaria fumosoroseus.

One of the best known forms is white muscardine, which is caused by Beauveria bassiana.[http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/ipm/insect-pathogens/white-muscardine-fungus.html White Muscardine Fungus.] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130704031403/http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/ipm/insect-pathogens/white-muscardine-fungus.html |date=2013-07-04 }} Rice Knowledge Bank. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). 2009.

When suffering from white muscardine, an insect larva may become inactive and stop eating. The elasticity of its cuticle is lost and it may experience vomiting and diarrhea. As it dies it hardens. The fungus leaves the body of its host covered in powdery white conidia. The fungal layer is tough due to oxalate crystals, and this slows the decay of the body. When a pupa is infected, it often mummifies. It shrinks and wrinkles before growing a fungal coating. In an adult moth, the body hardens and the wings drop off.

File:WhiteMuscardineDiseaseGoldenSilkOrbWeaver.jpg a Golden silk orb-weaver dead from white muscardine disease with white mold emerging from the cadaver's joints and pores.]]

During infection, the fungus absorbs water and nutrients from the host. The hemolymph of the insect crystallizes and thickens. The fungus usually produces toxins, as well. After it kills the host, the fungus continues to absorb water from the body, causing it to harden further.

Other insects prone to white muscardine include the brown planthopper and the diaprepes root weevil.Beavers, J. B., et al. (1972). [https://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3493349?uid=3739560&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21102354223357 Two Muscardine fungi pathogenic to Diaprepes abbreviatus.] The Florida Entomologist 55(2) 117-120.

Yellow muscardine is caused by Isaria farinosa.

Yellow red muscardine is caused by Isaria fumosoroseus. It can produce reddish patches on the external body and powdery masses of spores internally.

Fungicidal agents such as azadirachtin and phytoallexin have been used against some muscardine pathogens.Vyas, R. V., et al. (1992). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1459622 Effect of some natural pesticides on entomogenous muscardine fungi.] Indian J Exp Biol. 30(5) 435-6. Silkworm breeders dust their cages with slaked lime to discourage fungal growth.Ravikumar, J., et al. [https://archive.today/20130629104848/http://www.hindu.com/seta/2010/01/07/stories/2010010750211400.htm Muscardine: a menace to silkworm in winter.] The Hindu. January 7, 2010. In India a dust of chaff soaked in formalin is applied to the larvae.Veeranna, G., et al. (1985). [http://www.kssrdi.org/technology/technology_view.asp?id=320 Muscardine Disease – Precautionary Measures and Its Control.] Karnataka State Sericulture Research and Development Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka.

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Category:Animal fungal diseases

Category:Insect diseases