Batkoa major explained

Batkoa major is a naturally occurring fungus that infects insects.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Little is known about the pathogen. Found in the soil and belonging to the entomopathogenic fungi, the fungus spores attach to the insects' bodies upon contact. The fungus then enters the insect's body through weak spots in the outer cuticle or exoskeleton.^[4] The fungus then forms rhizoids to anchor its dying host to a tree, as spores start to develop on the insect's outer body and short-lived infective spores are ejected. The host insect dies between 4 – 7 days after being infected.Traces of the infective spores are hard to find in the environment.^{[5] [6]}

The fungus has been studied as an environmentally-friendly insecticide to control pests such as the invasive spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) in north-eastern North America.^[7] Other known targets include the pine beauty moth^{[8] [9]} and the potato leafhopper.^{[10] [11]}

See also

• Beauveria bassiana

Bibliography

• Collection of Entomopathogenic Fungal Cultures : Catalog of Strains - (Humber, Richard A. United States. Agricultural Research Service)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Batkoa major. 2021-12-28. www.uniprot.org.
2. Web site: Batkoa major (Thaxt.) Humber 1989 - Encyclopedia of Life. 2021-12-28. eol.org.
3. Web site: taxonomy. Taxonomy browser (Batkoa major). 2021-12-28. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
4. Web site: Ramanujan . Krishna . Destructive plant pest thwarted by two native fungi . Cornell Chronicle . 30 December 2022 . en . 29 April 2019.
5. Clifton. Eric H.. Castrillo. Louela A.. Gryganskyi. Andrii. Hajek. Ann E.. 2019-05-07. A pair of native fungal pathogens drives decline of a new invasive herbivore. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. en. 116. 19. 9178–9180. 10.1073/pnas.1903579116. 0027-8424. 31010927. 6511058 . free.
6. Web site: Destructive plant pest thwarted by two native fungi. 2021-12-28. Cornell Chronicle. en.
7. Hajek . Ann E. . Clifton . Eric H. . Stefanik . Sarah E. . Harris . David C. . Batkoa major infecting the invasive planthopper Lycorma delicatula . Journal of Invertebrate Pathology . October 2022 . 194 . 107821 . 10.1016/j.jip.2022.107821. 36030881 .
8. Book: (Barry), Hicks, B. J.. The history and control of the pine beauty moth, Panolis flammea (D. & S.), (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Scotland from 1976 to 2000.. 2001. 704106173.
9. Web site: Batkoa major. 2021-12-28. www.cabi.org.
10. Web site: Batkoa major (Thaxt.) Humber 1989 - Encyclopedia of Life. 2021-12-28. eol.org.
11. Book: W., Onstad, D.. Ecological Database of the World's Insect Pathogens (EDWIP). 1012509549.