Muscardine

Not to be confused with Muscardin, Muscadine, or Muscarine.
A cockroach with muscardine caused by M. anisopliae.

Muscardine is a disease of insects. It is caused by many species of entomopathogenic fungus. Many muscardines are known for affecting silkworms.[1] Muscardine may also be called calcino.[2]

While studying muscardine in silkworms in the 19th century, Agostino Bassi found that the causal agent was a fungus. This was the first demonstration of the germ theory of disease, the first time a microorganism was recognized as an animal pathogen.[3] There are many types of muscardine. They are often named for the color of the conidial layer each fungus leaves on its host.[1]

  1. ^ a b Singh, T. Principles And Techniques Of Silkworm Seed Production. Discovery Publishing House. 2004. pg. 277.
  2. ^ Lu, Y. Silkworm Diseases. FAO. 1991. pg. 37.
  3. ^ Mahr, S. Know Your Friends: The Entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana. Midwest Biological Control News October, 1997. Volume IV, Number 10.