Isolation and Identification of Entomopathogenic Bacteria from Algerian Desert Soil and their Effects against the Migratory Locust, Locusta migratoria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Abstract

After isolation and characterization of some bacteria in the rhizosphere soil of the Algerian desert plants, a total of 17 bacterial strains were isolated. They are mobile, aerobic, with a positive catalase. From these bacterial strains, four were selected for their entomopathogenic potential and identified based on their genetic traits. The rDNA16S sequences of these named strains (B3, B4, B5 and B6) were recorded in the EMBL/EBI data bank and their phylogenetic analysis revealed that they belong to the genera; Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Enterobacter. This study was highlighted on their entomopathogenic activity against the 5th instar larvae of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Orthoptera: Acrididae). The results obtained, one week after treatment, showed that the treated nymphs were highly sensitive to the tested isolates of bacteria, with mortality rates of 100, 98, 71 and 65% for Pseudomonas sp. strain B3 (HF911369), Pseudomonas sp. strain B4 (HF911366) Enterobacter sp. strain B6 (HF911368) and Bacillus sp. strain B5 (HF911367), respectively, in comparison to the control (3.33%)