Title
Host range tests reveal Paectes longiformis is not a suitable biological control agent for the invasive plant Schinus terebinthifolia
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
ISSN
1386-6141
Recommended Citation
"Host range tests reveal Paectes longiformis is not a suitable biological control agent for the invasive plant Schinus terebinthifolia" (2014). Faculty Bibliography 2010s. 5792.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2010/5792
Comments
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