Occurrence and distribution of entomophthoralean fungi infecting aphids in mainland China

Abstract

Seventeen species of entomophthoralean fungi infecting 15 species of aphids have been reported from mainland China. They belong to seven genera: Batkoa, Conidiobolus, Entomophthora, Neozygites, Pandora, Tarichium and Zoophthora. C. thromboides, E. planchoniana, N. fresenii and P. neoaphidis have the widest distributions covering five regions with the exception of the south-west. Tarichium atrospermum and Z. canadensis were only reported in the eastern region and P. echinospora only in the mid-southern region. Pandora neoaphidis, the most common species, occurred in many aphid populations. Species belonging to the genus Conidiobolus frequently appeared in the warm summer season, however, disease incidence was lower compared to the genus Pandora.

Keywords:

• Entomophthorales
• aphid
• distribution
• China

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Professor Xu Wei-an (College of Life and Science, Suzou University, China) and Dr Mark S. Goettel (Lethbridge Research Centre, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Canada) for reviewing the manuscript and providing valuable suggestions.