It’s not that they need help, but thanks to the crucial role parasites play in the collapse of society, HBO’s “The Last of Us” has chilled mushrooms more than ever. The creators of the TV show and the video game series it utilizes are inspired by real-life fungi that turn insects into zombies, and are in many ways more compelling than fiction.
A fungus called cordyceps does not create undead zombies, but hijacks the host bug’s ecology, forcing its victims to do their bidding and eventually kill them. The fungus grows inside the expired insect carcass, consuming that tissue until it bursts, releasing more spores and starting the cycle anew.
Obviously, this is a gruesome way to die, but it’s a fairly common tactic in the Mushroom Kingdom. 700 species Many Cordyceps have evolved special relationships with their hosts.
For years, scientists have investigated using this fungus as an all-natural insecticide. It could help protect many agricultural industries.
Mealybugs (Phenacoccus solenopsis) for example. It resembles an alien crustacean more than an insect, and its yellow-gray body is masked by the crusty white fluff that covers its body. Mealybugs are scale insects that eat fruits, vegetables, and foliage plants. TRUE Likes to suck cotton sap. Unfortunately, it injects toxic saliva into its food, causing it to wither leaves and ultimately kill the plant.
Mealybugs are widespread around the world and in most places the response from farmers is to drown the plants with chemical pesticides that have a nasty habit of harming or killing other non-target plants and animals. can ultimately backfire. Insects evolve resistance to common pesticidesWhat if there was something less harmful and perhaps unfightable to kill mealybugs?
input cordyceps humosoroseaa type of fungus that produces many different toxic chemicals as a way of preying on insects and arthropods. C. humosorosea When the spore lands on the insect, it dissolves the insect’s body’s hard outer shell and begins to produce enzymes that slide inside. It will start gushing nutrients until it spits out more spores for the next poor bug.
In a study published in the journal in January Biological control science and technologyresearchers at Bahauddin Zakarya University in Multan, Pakistan, C. humosorosea It is a highly effective insecticide against cotton mealybugs, with a mortality rate of 87.5%. In other studies on various insects, 100% mortalityHowever, even if it didn’t completely kill the host, it stunted its growth and stunted its ability to reproduce. The fungus appears to raise the quarry’s body temperature, resulting in decreased appetite and possibly even disrupting its ability to mount immune defenses.
Previous studies have shown that other insects are similarly susceptible. cordyceps humosoroseaincluding diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), a rice-shaped insect with three cream-colored diamonds printed on its back. Unfortunately, this moth is a big fan of “coal crops” such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale.
but C. humosorosea It kills moths just as effectively, sometimes in as little as 72 hours, according to a 2021 study in the journal. insectYou should also watch out for other insects such as termites, red palm weevil, whiteflies and other agricultural nuisances. Any of these pests are unlikely to have evolved defenses against fungi.
Despite being widely used against pests, Cordyceps did not evolve to attack plants. This means farmers may be able to spray their crops with this fungus as much as they like without worrying about killing the plants or damaging other vegetation in the environment. It’s a chemical and doesn’t discriminate when it damages living things.
Harnessing nature in this way is called integrated pest management, a more comprehensive approach to managing pests that does not involve genetically modifying crops to resist toxic chemicals or pathogens. . Besides weaponizing mushrooms, here are some other examples: A destructive noise resounds To prevent some insects from communicating.
and again, cordyceps humosorosea Just one of hundreds of these fungi. More research is needed on how effective this tactic is using different cordyceps strains while eliminating potential off-target effects. I don’t want to wipe out rare species of butterflies.
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So when can we see this fungus on store shelves? There are some fungal pesticide products out there. elm tree vaccine called dutch trigScientists are actively working to get this research out of the lab, but there are a number of important steps to take before releasing this mushroom weapon of mass destruction to the public. But entomologists at the University of Florida and others Spore dispenser experiment They look like yellow sponges hanging on citrus trees to dispatch Asian citrus plantains, which are really nasty bugs that like to attack oranges. Additional steps are required to bring it to market.
“The Last of Us” is a fantastic, groundbreaking franchise, but the mushrooms within it are pure fiction. They don’t share much in common with real-world cordyceps except in name, and humans who regularly eat this fungus without issue needn’t worry about it harming us. For such pathogens to mind-control humans, much more complex biological warfare is required, but thankfully, entertainment is driving interest in these solutions and improving our relationship with nature and agriculture. There is a possibility.
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