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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #414200
Research Project: Discovery and Production of Beneficial Microbes for Control of Agricultural Pests through Integration into Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems

Location: Crop Bioprotection Research

Title: Biocontrol of Leucoagaricus gongylophorus by Trichoderma asperelloides with implications to ant mini-colony survival

Author
item MOREIRA DOS SANTOS, TÁSSIA - Federal University Of Goias
item MASCARIN, GABRIEL - Embrapa
item Dunlap, Christopher
item CHAIBUB, AMANDA - Federal University Of Goias
item PEREIRA, JAQUELINE - Federal University Of Goias
item OLIVEIRA MENDES, LETICIA - Federal University Of Goias
item RIBEIRO, DANIELLE - Federal University Of Goias
item ARAÚJO, LEILA - Federal University Of Goias
item FERNANDES, PAULO - Federal University Of Goias

Submitted to: Fungal Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/16/2025
Publication Date: 10/17/2025
Citation: Moreira Dos Santos, T.T., Mascarin, G.M., Dunlap, C.A., Chaibub, A.A., Pereira, J.M., Oliveira Mendes, L.M., Ribeiro, D.S., Araújo, L.G., Fernandes, P.M. 2025. Biocontrol of Leucoagaricus gongylophorus by Trichoderma asperelloides with implications to ant mini-colony survival. Fungal Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101680.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101680

Interpretive Summary: Leaf cutter ants are a major problem in the South and Central America, as well as Southern US, because of the damage they cause to crops and ornamentals. The ants harvest the leaves and other plant material to grow a unique fungus in their underground nests to use for food. In this study, an ARS researcher from Peoria, Illinois, in collaboration with scientist from Brazil identified another type of fungus, called Trichoderma, that targets and kills the ants’ cultivated food source. The results showed that the Trichoderma was effective at reducing their available food and causing the ant colonies to collapse. This research advances new methods to control these damaging pests for agricultural and home applications.

Technical Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the antagonistic effect of different Trichoderma isolates against the ant symbiotic fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus. The bioactivity of novel indigenous Trichoderma yunnanense isolates on the in vitro growth of L. gongylophorus was determined by direct contact assay using paired colonies and non-contact assay for the assessment of antifungal volatile compounds. Lytic enzyme activities were also evaluated for T. yunnanense isolates. The antagonistic effect of these isolates on the fungus garden and ant minicolony mortality was evaluated. The isolates named Tricho 4, Tricho 5, Tricho 7, and Tricho 11 displayed strong direct inhibitory activity towards L. gongylophorus in a dual culture test, resulting in more than a 93.7% decrease in colony growth. These isolates halted L. gongylophorus growth by over 79.9% through indirect antagonism attributed to volatile organic compounds. All isolates secreted chitinase, glucanase, and protease when co-cultured with L. gongylophorus, which partly explains the direct mycoparasitic activity exerted by Trichoderma. Furthermore, these isolates promoted a remarkable increase in ant minicolony mortality, reaching up to 60% by direct parasitism of the fungus garden, as reflected by lower trash weight produced by the ants exposed to T. yunnanense isolates compared to the untreated control. In general, T. yunnanense isolates exerted excellent direct and indirect antagonism towards L. gongylophorus and markedly disrupted ant colony health and survival. Therefore, T. yunnanense mycoparasites may constitute a biological tool for implementation in the integrated management of leaf-cutting ants in the tropics and subtropics.