Mealworms, Tenebrio molitor (L.) is used as an important animal feed additive for growth promotion and health management, but potentially exposes to fungal infection. In this work, virulence of two species of entomopathogenic fungi against the insect, and the relationship between abiotic features and virulence were investigated. Secondly our consideration was also given to the effect of chemical fungicides on conidial germination for risk control. Between Beauveria bassiana (Bb) and Metarhizium roberstii (Mr) (previously M. anisopliae), Bb isolates had much higher virulence (~100% mortality in 3~4 days after the treatment), rather than Mr isolates in laboratory assays. Next, fungus-treated mealworms were kept at wheat bran at 20, 25, 30 and 35℃ with 3, 6, 9 times of water spray to the feeds for set-up of different humidity conditions. Inoculation of fungi to mealworms was conducted by fungal spray and feeding methods, which resulted in higher virulence in feeding method. In the feeding method, all temperature treatments except 35℃ showed high virulence against mealworms, but any significant relationship between virulence and humidity was not observed. In the chemical fungicide screening, fluazinam (CAS No. 79622-59-6) and mancozeb (8018-01-7) significantly inhibited the germination of Bb and Mr conidia. This work suggest that contamination of wheat bran with fungal pathogens, particularly B. bassiana may induce mycosis of mealworms, but introduction of effective fungicides possibly reduce fungal infection.

Background : Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is one of the most important medicinal plants in Korea, but its yields are often reduced by a variety of root pathogens. The root rot of ginseng is a destructive soil-borne disease caused by Cylindrocarpon destructans (teleomorph: Ilyonectria radicicola). Methods and Results : Ilyonectria radicicola and its Cylindrocarpon-like anamorph represent a species complex that is commonly associated with root rot disease symptoms on virulence. During the course of this study, several species could be distinguished from I. radicicola sensu stricto based on morphological and culture characteristics. As results of investigated culture characteristics, optimal temperature for mycelial growth of isolates were 20℃, and colony pattern and color were slightly different on PDA. Isolates of I. radicicola were analyzed for their genetic relatedness based on several genes and microsatellite region. I. radicicola group was divided into two small groups. Conclusion : Therefore, we were able to confirm pathogenicity and genetic difference between the isolates in each of the groups of the pathogen. Among these isolates, 21.5% were classified as highly virulent and 78.5% were weakly virulent. *(Corresponding