Pampapathy
Gurulingappa
Contact:
pgur2611[at]mail.usyd.edu.au
Interests: I am
particularly interested in studying insect-host plant
interactions and integration of host-plant resistance and
biological control.
Project Title: Interaction between
Lecanicillium lecanii and Aphis gossypii
in cotton.
Summary: My research project aims
at studying the interaction between an endophytic fungi,
Lecanicillium lecanii and Aphis gossypii,
an important pest of cotton. Endophytic microorganisms are
those that inhabit the interior of plants without causing
any apparent harm to the host. If entomopathogenic microbes
inhabit plant tissues as endophytes, they may have the
potential to reduce populations of insects without the need
to spray the microbe onto the crop. The study fungus,
Lecanicillium lecanii was isolated from within
aymptomatic leaves of cotton, from a field near Narrabri,
Australia. If the fungus needs to be used as a
myco-insecticide, several questions first need examination
under controlled conditions. These include: 1)
Investigating the pathogenicity of L. lecanii in
cotton to A. gossypii, 2) Determine the parameters
necessary for the endophytic establishment of L.
lecanii, 3) Determine whether the fungus regulates the
population of aphids by expression of toxin in addition to
colonisation of individuals, 4) Determine whether the
endophyte induce a host response that reduces insect
feeding, and 5) Determine whether selected pesticides
influence the impact of the fungus on aphids.
Overall, my research will examine the direct and indirect
interaction between the endophytic fungus L.
lecanii and the insect pest, Aphis gossypi.
The research is important as it will indicate whether
endophytic fungi may become part of the suite of
environmentally sensitive approaches used to reduce
populations of insect pests in commercially important
crops.