I could like to isolate Verticillium lecanii from the the soil. Can somebody outline for me the best steps to use and how will I conclude that it's Verticillium lecanii without necessarily doing molecular assays? What is the best distinguishing feature for this fungi that I should know.
Verticllium lecanii was transferred to the form genus Lecanillicum by Gams about 20 years ago. I cannot remember offhand what his morphological criteria for the erection of the genus were, but you can look in his papers on both genera. I think the paper was in Mycologia, but it may have been elsewhere.
Verticillium lecanii (formerly known as Cephalosporum lecanii) is a fungus found parasitizing on scale insects in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The white mycelial growth on the edges of infected scale insects is the key identifying feature of the fungus. Due to this characteristic growth the fungus is known as 'white halo'.
Lecanicillium. Oops about the spelling. Members of the genus are all of the entomopathogenic 'verticillia' previously assigned to Verticillium. The spores are somewhat elongate elipsoidal and, as I recall, about 4-6 microns in length. 'White halo' is found around flies affixed to glass, as well, and is caused by members of the Entomopthorales (Zygomycetes in the old system).
Zhang ZR, Zhang YJ, Xie M (2015) Identification and biological characteristics of a Lecanicillium isolate originating from tropic region and its pathogenicity against Bemisia tabaci. Chin J Biol Control 31: 1–7
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