Herbivory by Biological Control Agents Improves Herbicidal Control of Waterhyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip W. Tipping ◽  
Lyn A. Gettys ◽  
Carey R. Minteer ◽  
Jeremiah R. Foley ◽  
Samantha N. Sardes
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Eichhornia Crassipes ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Reduced Rate ◽  
Herbicide Programs

Classical biological control of waterhyacinth is difficult to evaluate against the backdrop of active herbicide programs. Two experiments evaluated the additive impact of herbivory by two biological control agents with three different rates of 2,4-D on waterhyacinth growth and development in outdoor concrete mesocosms. The herbicide 2,4-D was applied at three rates: (1) control (no herbicide), (2) reduced (2.1 kg ai ha−1), and (3) operational (4.3 kg ai ha−1). Biomass of waterhyacinth populations was reduced by 16.9% by biological control only, 10.5% by the reduced rate of herbicide alone, 44.6% by the operational rate, and 97.3% and 99.9% by the combination of biological control and the reduced and operational rates of herbicides, respectively. These results quantified the relative contributions of both tactics to waterhyacinth management and posit the question of whether further reductions in 2,4-D rates are possible without sacrificing efficacy.

Yellow Brazilian Pepper-tree Leaf Galler (suggested common name) Calophya latiforceps Burckhardt (Insecta: Hemiptera: Calophyidae: Calophyinae)

EDIS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Cuda ◽  
Patricia Prade ◽  
Carey R. Minteer-Killian
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
North America ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Pepper Tree ◽  
Brazilian Pepper ◽  
Close Relatives ◽  
Tree Leaf

In the late 1970s, Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae), was targeted for classical biological control in Florida because its invasive properties (see Host Plants) are consistent with escape from natural enemies (Williams 1954), and there are no native Schinus spp. in North America. The lack of native close relatives should minimize the risk of damage to non-target plants from introduced biological control agents (Pemberton 2000). [...]

scholarly journals Mite pests in plant crops: Current issues, inovative approaches and possibilities for controlling them: Part 2

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-132
Author(s):  
Radmila Petanovic ◽  
Dejan Marcic ◽  
Biljana Vidovic
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Physical Measures ◽  
Urban Horticulture

Part one discusses some principal mite pests in agroecosystems and urban horticulture in European countries, Serbia and its neighbouring countries focusing primarily on issues with regard to plant production, novel methods and approaches in applied acaralogy. Part two displays some major properties of acaricides inhibiting respiration, growth and development and other synthetic substances with acaricide action on the market in the last decade of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century. Also some products of natural origin (azadirachtin, oils, micoacaricides) are said to be gaining in importance. Issues with regard to the fact that mites can readily develop resistance to acardicides are discussed and a survey on the results of biochemical, physiological and genetical causes of resistance are analyzed. Some basic principles of biological control of phytophagous mites and modern advances and approaches are discussed as well as current knowledge on host plant resistance to mites. Eventually, the possibility of using a combination of selective acaricides and biological control agents is discussed but also the inclusion of other modes of control (agricultural practices and physical measures) expected to contribute to an integrated management of pest populations.

scholarly journals Current levels of suppression of waterhyacinth in Florida USA by classical biological control agents

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 ◽  
pp. 65-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip W. Tipping ◽  
Melissa R. Martin ◽  
Eileen N. Pokorny ◽  
Kayla R. Nimmo ◽  
Danyelle L. Fitzgerald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agents

Acigona infusella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), an agent for biological control of waterhyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in Australia

1983 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 625-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. P. A. Sands ◽  
R. C. Kassulke
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Host Specificity ◽  
Eichhornia Crassipes ◽  
Larval Mortality ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
South American ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Pontederia Cordata ◽  
Mass Size ◽  
Lepidoptera Pyralidae

AbstractThe biology and host specificity of a South American moth, Acigona infusella (Wlk.), were studied in quarantine facilities in Australia. In choice tests on the host specificity of A. infusella, slight feeding by larvae occured on ginger, lettuce, banana, bullrush (Typha orientalis) and water primrose (Ludwigia peploides), but in starvation tests only waterhyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and pickerel weed (Pontederia cordata) supported complete development. A decrease in larval mortality and increase in egg-mass size of A. infusella occured when a microsporidian, Vairimorpha sp.; infecting the colony was eliminated, suggesting that these insects may then perform more effectively as biological control agents in Australia than in South America. The damage to waterhyacinth cause bu larvae of A. infusella may complement attack by other biological control agents already established in Australia.

scholarly journals Interactions between Two Biological Control Agents on Lygodium microphyllum

Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 180
Author(s):  
Ian Jones ◽  
Ellen Lake
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Oviposition Behavior ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Larval Survival ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Oviposition Choice ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Feeding Trials ◽  
Antagonistic Interactions ◽  
Over Time

Lygodium microphyllum (Lygodiaceae) is an invasive climbing fern in peninsular Florida. Two classical biological control agents are currently being released against L. microphyllum: a leaf galling mite, Floracarus perrepae (Acariformes: Eriophyidae), and a moth, Neomusotima conspurcatalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Little is known about how the two species interact in the field; thus we conducted oviposition choice tests to determine the effects of F. perrepae presence on oviposition behavior in N. conspurcatalis. Further, we conducted feeding trials with N. conspurcatalis larvae to establish the effects of gall presence on larval survival and rate of development, and determine whether N. conspurcatalis larvae would directly consume F. perrepae galls. Neomusotima conspurcatalis laid significantly more eggs on mite galled (52.66 ± 6.211) versus ungalled (34.40 ± 5.587) L. microphyllum foliage. Feeding trials revealed higher mortality in N. conspurcatalis larvae raised on galled (60%) versus ungalled (36%) L. microphyllum material. In gall feeding trials, N. conspurcatalis larvae consumed or damaged 13.52% of galls, and the rate of direct gall feeding increased over time as leaf resources were depleted. Our results suggest that, where N. conspurcatalis and F. perrepae co-occur, competitive interactions could be more frequent than previously anticipated; however, we do not expect these antagonistic interactions to affect the establishment of either agent.

Predicting the Outcome of Biological Control

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith H. Myers
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Native Habitat

The movement of humans around the earth has been associated with an amazing redistribution of a variety of organisms to new continents and exotic islands. The natural biodiversity of native communities is threatened by new invasive species, and many of the most serious insect and weed pests are exotics. Classical biological control is one approach to dealing with nonindigenous species. If introduced species that lack natural enemies are competitively superior in exotic habitats, introducing some of their predators (herbivores), diseases, or parasitoids may reduce their population densities. Thus, the introduction of more exotic species may be necessary to reduce the competitive superiority of nonindigenous pests. The intentional introduction of insects as biological control agents provides an experimental arena in which adaptations and interactions among species may be tested. We can use biological control programs to explore such evolutionary questions as: What characteristics make a natural enemy a successful biological control agent? Does coevolution of herbivores and hosts or predators (parasitoids) and prey result in few species of natural enemies having the potential to be successful biological control agents? Do introduced natural enemies make unexpected host range shifts in new environments? Do exotic species lose their defense against specialized natural enemies after living for many generations without them? If coevolution is a common force in nature, we expect biological control interactions to demonstrate a dynamic interplay between hosts and their natural enemies. In this chapter, I consider biological control introductions to be experiments that might yield evidence on how adaptation molds the interactions between species and their natural enemies. I argue that the best biological control agents will be those to which the target hosts have not evolved resistance. Classical biological control is the movement of natural enemies from a native habitat to an exotic habitat where their host has become a pest. This approach to exotic pests has been practiced since the late 1800s, when Albert Koebele explored the native habitat of the cottony cushion scale, Icrya purchasi, in Australia and introduced Vadalia cardinalis beetles (see below) to control the cottony cushion scale on citrus in California. This control has continued to be a success.

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