Effects of Fusarium solani on the Growth and Development of Anoplophora glabripennis Larvae.

Anoplophora glabripennis (Asian longhorned beetle) is a wood-boring pest that can inhabit a wide range of healthy deciduous host trees in native and non-native habitats. Lignocellulose degradation plays a major role in the acquisition of nutrients during the growth and development of A. glabripennis larvae. In this study, the lignocellulose degradation capacity of Fusarium solani, a fungal symbiont of A. glabripennis, was investigated in fermentation culture and in four host tree species. The impact of F. solani on larval growth and survival parameters was assessed. Fermentation culture demonstrated continuous and stable production of lignocellulolytic enzymes over the cultivation period. Furthermore, F. solani was able to degrade host tree lignocellulose, as shown by decreased soluble sugar and cellulose contents and an increase in protein content. No significant differences in larval survival were observed in larvae fed with or without F. solani. However, weight and head capsule width were higher in larvae fed on F. solani, and gut lignocellulose activities were elevated in fed larvae. Our results indicate a role for F. solani in the predigestion of lignocellulose during the colonization and parasitic stages of A. glabripennis larval development, and also the F. solani an important symbiotic partner to A. glabripennis, lowering barriers to colonization and development in a range of habitats.