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

    Authors

    V. Manrique; R. Diaz; T. Condon;W. A. Overholt

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Biocontrol

    Keywords

    biological control; Risk assessment; Non-target effects; Anacardiaceae; Euteliidae; BRAZILIAN PEPPERTREE; HYDRILLA-VERTICILLATA; SELECTION EXPERIMENTS; WEED-CONTROL; LEPIDOPTERA; SPECIFICITY; FLORIDA; RISK; COLONIZATION; BIOCONTROL; Entomology

    Abstract

    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.

    Journal Title

    Biocontrol

    Volume

    59

    Issue/Number

    6

    Publication Date

    1-1-2014

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    761

    Last Page

    770

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000344733700012

    ISSN

    1386-6141

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