The First Study on Bacterial Flora and Biological Control Agent of the Little Spruce Sawfly, Pristiphora Abietina (Christ.) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the bacterial flora of Pristiphora abietina and to find the performance of the members of this flora as a biocontrol agent for this pest. For this purpose, eleven bacteria were isolated from living, diseased and dead larvae. Morphological and biochemical properties, metabolic enzyme profiles by BIOLOG microtiter plate system and total cellular fatty acid profile by Microbial Identification Systems (MIS) of the bacterial isolates were determined. In addition, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis was performed. The isolates were identified as Bacillus pumilus (Pa1), Lysinibacillus fusiformis (Pa2, Pa10), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Pa3), Acinetobacter johnsonii (Pa4, Pa9), Bacillus cereus (Pa5), Rhodococcus sp. (Pa6), Staphylococcus sciuri (Pa7), Ralstonia pickettii (Pa8), Neisseria perflava (Pa11). All these bacteria were tested against P. abietina larvae. The highest insecticidal activity was obtained from S. maltophilia and L. fusiformis (65.47%, 60.71%, respectively), (p < 0.05), whereas the lowest insecticidal activity (17.26%) was obtained from N. perflava within seven days. Our result indicates that L. fusiformis (Pa2, Pa10) show potential to be used as biological control agents of P. abietina.