Isolation and characterization of a Lecanicillium psalliotae isolate infecting cardamom thrips (Sciothrips cardamomi) in India

Cardamom thrips (Sciothrips cardamomi Ramk.) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) cause serious economic loss to cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton (Zingiberaceae). A fungus was isolated from cadavers of cardamom thrips collected during a survey in cardamom plantations of Wayanad District, Kerala, India and identified as Lecanicillium psalliotae (Treschew) Zare & W. Gams (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) based on morphological and molecular studies. Bio-assay studies with purified conidial suspension further confirmed the infectivity of the fungus to thrips. At the highest dose tested (1 x 10(7) conidia ml(-1)), up to 62.9 % mortality was recorded in the test population, ten days post inoculation. The fungal pathogenesis on adult thrips was documented by scanning electron microscopic studies. This is the first record of L. psalliotae in India and also a first report of a fungus infecting cardamom thrips.