MORPHOLOGICAL, BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERISTICS OF METARHIZIUM-ANISOPLIAE AND M-FLAVOVIRIDE

Twenty-four isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae and M. flavoviride, scr eened for virulence to desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), were cha racterized by conidial morphology, API ZYM, isoenzyme electrophoresis and RFLP analysis of HaeIII digests on agarose minigels. Conidial morp hology showed considerable overlap in measurements between the two spe cies. However the API ZYM method showed that all isolates of M. anisop liae differed from those of M. flavoviride by possessing alpha-fucosid ase activity. Isoenzyme electrophoresis clearly distinguished the two species by catalase and acid phosphatase banding patterns. M. anisopli ae had a much simpler RFLP banding pattern than M. flavoviride, which showed > 20 bands, but individual isolates of both species had unique patterns. The methods used could all contribute to a unique 'fingerpri nt' for isolates of both species including M. flavoviride IMI 330189, which has been under intensive study for biopesticide development agai nst locusts and grasshoppers.