First Report of Hirsutella thompsonii as an Entomopathogenic Fungus of Hemp Russet Mite (Aculops cannabicola) in Kentucky

M. Magdalena Ricciardi; Henry Smith; Zenaida Viloria; Edward Dixon; Desiree Szarka; Robert Pearce; Nicole Gauthier; Raul T. Villanueva

doi:10.1094/PHP-04-23-0035-BR

First Report of Hirsutella thompsonii as an Entomopathogenic Fungus of Hemp Russet Mite (Aculops cannabicola) in Kentucky

M. Magdalena Ricciardi
, Henry Smith
, Zenaida Viloria
, Edward Dixon
, Desiree Szarka
, Robert Pearce
, Nicole Gauthier
, Raul T. Villanueva

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hemp russet mite (HRM, Aculops cannabicola) is one of the most damaging indoor pests of hemp (Cannabis sativa). In 2021, HRM was identified in hemp research trials at the University of Kentucky. Beginning in September, large numbers of darkened (black/brown), dead HRM were observed on leaves. Fungi resembling Hirsutella thompsoniiwere isolated from symptomatic HRM. Fungal identity was confirmed by sequencing a fragment of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rDNA. To validate pathogenicity, HRM-infested hemp leaveswere inoculatedwith H. thompsonii. Infection was confirmed by day 8 of the experiment. Twenty-eight percent of the HRM in the inoculated treatment became black/brown by day 14. Considering limited options for management of HRM on indoor hemp production, further research is warranted to improve understanding of the potential use of H. thompsonii as a management tool.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	92-94
Number of pages	3
Journal	Plant Health Progress
Volume	25
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-04-23-0035-BR
State	Published - 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The American Phytopathological Society

Funding

†Corresponding authors: N. Gauthier; [email protected], and R. T. Villanueva; [email protected] Funding: This research was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch projects [KY012044 and KY006112] and the Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement (NACA) in partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service Food-Animal Production Unit.

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Agriculture
US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative	KY006112, KY012044

Keywords

biocontrol
cannabis
entomopathogen
greenhouse
hemp

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Plant Science
Horticulture

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10.1094/PHP-04-23-0035-BR

Cite this

@article{61b6a7b1cfee4eff9e8c35a48f734a1e,

title = "First Report of Hirsutella thompsonii as an Entomopathogenic Fungus of Hemp Russet Mite (Aculops cannabicola) in Kentucky",

abstract = "Hemp russet mite (HRM, Aculops cannabicola) is one of the most damaging indoor pests of hemp (Cannabis sativa). In 2021, HRM was identified in hemp research trials at the University of Kentucky. Beginning in September, large numbers of darkened (black/brown), dead HRM were observed on leaves. Fungi resembling Hirsutella thompsoniiwere isolated from symptomatic HRM. Fungal identity was confirmed by sequencing a fragment of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rDNA. To validate pathogenicity, HRM-infested hemp leaveswere inoculatedwith H. thompsonii. Infection was confirmed by day 8 of the experiment. Twenty-eight percent of the HRM in the inoculated treatment became black/brown by day 14. Considering limited options for management of HRM on indoor hemp production, further research is warranted to improve understanding of the potential use of H. thompsonii as a management tool.",

keywords = "biocontrol, cannabis, entomopathogen, greenhouse, hemp",

author = "Ricciardi, \{M. Magdalena\} and Henry Smith and Zenaida Viloria and Edward Dixon and Desiree Szarka and Robert Pearce and Nicole Gauthier and Villanueva, \{Raul T.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The American Phytopathological Society",

year = "2024",

doi = "10.1094/PHP-04-23-0035-BR",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "92--94",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - First Report of Hirsutella thompsonii as an Entomopathogenic Fungus of Hemp Russet Mite (Aculops cannabicola) in Kentucky

AU - Ricciardi, M. Magdalena

AU - Smith, Henry

AU - Viloria, Zenaida

AU - Dixon, Edward

AU - Szarka, Desiree

AU - Pearce, Robert

AU - Gauthier, Nicole

AU - Villanueva, Raul T.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Hemp russet mite (HRM, Aculops cannabicola) is one of the most damaging indoor pests of hemp (Cannabis sativa). In 2021, HRM was identified in hemp research trials at the University of Kentucky. Beginning in September, large numbers of darkened (black/brown), dead HRM were observed on leaves. Fungi resembling Hirsutella thompsoniiwere isolated from symptomatic HRM. Fungal identity was confirmed by sequencing a fragment of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rDNA. To validate pathogenicity, HRM-infested hemp leaveswere inoculatedwith H. thompsonii. Infection was confirmed by day 8 of the experiment. Twenty-eight percent of the HRM in the inoculated treatment became black/brown by day 14. Considering limited options for management of HRM on indoor hemp production, further research is warranted to improve understanding of the potential use of H. thompsonii as a management tool.

AB - Hemp russet mite (HRM, Aculops cannabicola) is one of the most damaging indoor pests of hemp (Cannabis sativa). In 2021, HRM was identified in hemp research trials at the University of Kentucky. Beginning in September, large numbers of darkened (black/brown), dead HRM were observed on leaves. Fungi resembling Hirsutella thompsoniiwere isolated from symptomatic HRM. Fungal identity was confirmed by sequencing a fragment of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rDNA. To validate pathogenicity, HRM-infested hemp leaveswere inoculatedwith H. thompsonii. Infection was confirmed by day 8 of the experiment. Twenty-eight percent of the HRM in the inoculated treatment became black/brown by day 14. Considering limited options for management of HRM on indoor hemp production, further research is warranted to improve understanding of the potential use of H. thompsonii as a management tool.

KW - biocontrol

KW - cannabis

KW - entomopathogen

KW - greenhouse

KW - hemp

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85186859418

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85186859418#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1094/PHP-04-23-0035-BR

DO - 10.1094/PHP-04-23-0035-BR

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85186859418

SN - 1535-1025

VL - 25

SP - 92

EP - 94

JO - Plant Health Progress

JF - Plant Health Progress

IS - 1

ER -

First Report of Hirsutella thompsonii as an Entomopathogenic Fungus of Hemp Russet Mite (Aculops cannabicola) in Kentucky

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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