Host range tests reveal Paectes longiformis is not a suitable biological control agent for the invasive plant Schinus terebinthifolia

Host range tests reveal Paectes longiformis is not a suitable biological control agent for the invasive plant Schinus terebinthifolia

The most critical step during a weed biological control program is determination of a candidate agent’s host range. Despite rigorous protocols and extensive testing, there are still concerns over potential non-target effects following field releases. With the objective to improve risk assessment in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BioControl (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Vol. 59; no. 6; pp. 761 - 770
Main Authors: Manrique, Veronica, Diaz, Rodrigo, Condon, Todd, Overholt, W. A
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01-12-2014
Springer Netherlands
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
Agriculture
Anacardiaceae
Animal Biochemistry
Animal Ecology
Behavioral Sciences
biological assessment
Biological control
biological control agents
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Butterflies & moths
eggs
Entomology
females
Flowers & plants
Haplotypes
Host range
Insects
Introduced species
Invasive plants
Invasive species
larvae
Lepidoptera
Life Sciences
moths
nontarget organisms
Oviposition
Plant Pathology
Plant species
Plants (botany)
rearing
Rhus aromatica
Risk assessment
Risk management
Sapindales
Schinus
Schinus molle
Schinus terebinthifolia
Survival
Variance analysis
Weeds
Florida
Brazil
California
United States > US
Euteliidae
biological control
Non-target effects
Risk assessment
Anacardiaceae
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Summary:The most critical step during a weed biological control program is determination of a candidate agent’s host range. Despite rigorous protocols and extensive testing, there are still concerns over potential non-target effects following field releases. With the objective to improve risk assessment in biological control, no-choice and choice testing followed by a multiple generation study were conducted on the leaf-defoliator, Paectes longiformis Pogue (Lepidoptera: Euteliidae). This moth is being investigated as a biological control agent of Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae), which is one of the worst invasive plant species in Florida, USA. Results from no-choice testing showed higher larval survival on S. terebinthifolia (48 %) and its close relative Schinus molle L. (47 %), whereas lower survival was obtained on six non-target species (<25 %). When given a choice, P. longiformis females preferred to lay eggs on the target weed, but oviposition also occurred on four non-target species. An improved performance on the native Rhus aromatica Aiton was found when insects were reared exclusively on this non-target species for one or two generations. Results from host range testing suggest that this moth is oligophagous, but has a preference for the target weed. Non-target effects found during multiple generation studies indicate that P. longiformis should not be considered as a biological control agent of S. terebinthifolia.
Bibliography:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10526-014-9591-x
ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:1386-6141
1573-8248
DOI:10.1007/s10526-014-9591-x