Mycobiota of Ips sexdentatus (Bö;rner, 1776) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in Belarus

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a study of the fungal component of the microbiome associated with six-toothed bark beetle on the territory of Belarus to clarify the role of this xylophage as a vector of dangerous phytopathogenic fungi. More than 360 pure cultures of fungi isolated from the surface and hemocoel of Ips sexdentatus were analyzed by cultural-morphological and molecular-genetic methods. 35 species of fungi from 25 genera of 17 families in 3 divisions were identi ed. Based on their impact on the stored wood, all species are conventionally classi ed into three groups: (1) fungi that cause discoloration of wood (mold, blue stain, etc.), (2) fungi that cause rot of growing forest and harvested wood, and (3) fungi whose . Five species of fungi from the family Ophiostomatacea e were identi ed: Leptographium Lagerb. & Melin sp., Ophiostoma ips (Rumbold) Nannf., O. minus (Hedgc.) Syd. & P. Syd., O. canum (Münch) Syd. & P. Syd., and O. piceae (Münch) Syd. & P. Syd. associated with blue wood. Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. was found in 7.8% of the studied samples of the fungal ora. Fairly high frequency of occurrence con rms the participation of the six-toothed bark beetle in the formation of complex centres of pine desiccation in the territory of Belarus. In the I. sexdentatus population, a signi cant proportion of entomopathogenic fungi (11.4%) was recorded using the molecular genetic method, which may indicate natural processes of self-regulation, or the attenuation of the outbreak of bark beetles in Belarus.