Successful biological control of mist flower (Ageratina riparia) in New Zealand: Agent establishment, impact and benefits to the native flora

The white smut fungus (Entyloma ageratinae) and the gall fly (Procecidochares alani) were released in New Zealand in 1998 and 2001 respectively to suppress mist flower (Ageratina riparia). The fungus established and spread rapidly, crossing 80 km of sea to Great Barrier Island within 2 years. The mean number of P. alani galls increased exponentially to 1.96/stem at release sites, but dispersal was slow. The impact of the biocontrol agents was monitored once annually from 1998/99 to 2003/04, at up to 51 sites in the North Island. The mean percentage of live leaves infected with fungus rapidly reached nearly 60%. Maximum plant height declined significantly. In heavy infestations, mean percentage cover of mist flower declined from 81 to 1.5%. Galls were only recorded towards the end of the impact study, and at low mean numbers. As mist flower declined, the species richness and mean percentage cover of native plants increased. In contrast, the species richness and mean percentage cover of exotic plants (excluding mist flower) did not change significantly. Many plant species colonizing the plots were important native mid- or late-successional shrubs or trees. With few exceptions, the exotic plant species common in the plots were not weeds that appeared to threaten native forest habitats. There was only a weak “replacement weed effect” from the potentially serious invader African club moss (Selaginella kraussiana). These data, together with reports of reduced threats to rare endemic plants from mist flower, suggest this rapid, well-monitored weed biocontrol program was very successful.     

Impact of the belowground herbivore and potential biological control agent, Ceutorhynchus scrobicollis, on Alliaria petiolata performance

We studied the influence of the root-crown weevil Ceutorhynchus scrobicollis on its host plant Alliaria petiolata, a European biennial herb that is currently invading much of temperate North America. Varying timing of attack and herbivore densities in a common garden allowed to assess seasonality of plant response, density-dependence of impact, and the effect of intraspecific competition on C. scrobicollis recruitment (number of F₁ generation adults emerged). Data collected in the common garden were compared with data collected at field sites. C. scrobicollis is a common weevil in Europe, frequently attaining high attack levels on its host plant. In the common garden, weevil attack decreased plant survival by up to 43%, reduced plant height by 54%, increased the number of shoots by up to four–fold and delayed seed ripening, but had no significant negative effect on seed production. Plants infested in spring allocated less biomass to aboveground plant parts, and remained smaller than plants attacked in autumn, indicating that the latter were able to partly compensate for weevil attack. Increasing weevil density rarely had an effect on A. petiolata performance, and did not increase F₁ recruitment, suggesting strong intraspecific competition. At field sites, C. scrobicollis attack is spread over a long time period, which probably alleviates intraspecific competition. In summary, attack by the root-crown feeding weevil, C. scrobicollis, can substantially reduce growth and survival of A. petiolata. If introduced as a biological control agent into North America, C. scrobicollis is likely to decrease the fitness and competitive superiority of A. petiolata.     

Physical and ant-mediated refuges from parasitism: Implications for non-target effects in biological control

A promising natural enemy for release against the Asian soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, in North America is the aphidiine braconid wasp Binodoxys communis (Gahan). The aphid Aphis monardae Oestlund, a native of North America’s tall-grass prairies, is a non-target species that may be at risk from releases of B. communis. This paper describes ecological facets of A. monardae populations in their native habitat that could protect them from attack by this exotic biological control agent. In prairie habitats, A. monardae populations aggregate in flower heads of their host plant, Monarda fistulosa L. On this host plant, aphids are also commonly tended by four ant species, and ant-tended colonies are larger than un-attended colonies. Laboratory studies showed that parasitism rates of A. monardae by B. communis are significantly higher on vegetative M. fistulosa than on M. fistulosa flower heads. In addition, attendance of A. monardae by the ant Lasius neoniger Emery significantly decreased parasitism by B. communis. Ants attacked and killed host-seeking adult parasitoids, and preyed upon B. communis mummies. No evidence was found that B. communis reared from A. monardae are less susceptible to attack by ants than parasitoids reared from A. glycines. M. fistulosa flower heads and attendance by L. neoniger may act as refuges for A. monardae against B. communis. Our work describes spatial refuges as ecological filters that separate non-target organisms from exotic natural enemies. Implications for classical biological control of A. glycines are discussed.     

Interactions of two natural enemies of Tetranychus evansi, the fungal pathogen Neozygites floridana (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) and the predatory mite, Phytoseiulus longipes (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Tetranychus evansi is an exotic pest of Solanaceous crops in Africa discovered in Zimbabwe in 1979. Two natural enemies, the predatory mite Phytoseiulus longipes and the fungal pathogen Neozygites floridana are important causes of mortality in T. evansi populations in Brazil. The first part of this study assessed the effects of N. floridana on predation and oviposition of P. longipes fed on N. floridana infected T. evansi and T. urticae. No N. floridana hyphal bodies were found in P. longipes after this feeding, demonstrating that N. floridana is not pathogenic to P. longipes and does not affect its oviposition. The second part of the study investigated the time spent on searching for and consuming of eggs on leaf discs with and without N. floridana capilliconidia. Both the searching and the feeding time on the first egg were similar on leaf discs with and without capilliconidia. When P. longipes was offered the choice of feeding on eggs on leaf discs with or without capilliconidia, the numbers of eggs consumed were not different. The only N. floridana effect observed on P. longipes was reduced egg predation. In addition, increased time spent grooming on leaf discs with capilliconidia was observed. P. longipes was efficient in removing most capilliconidia attached to the body through self-grooming behavior. This suggests that although the predator did not avoid areas with capilliconidia, it detected and removed most capilliconidia attached to the body. Increased grooming may account for the lower egg predation rates.     

Selective and Non-Selective Control of Invasive Plants: The Short-Term Effects of Growing-Season Prescribed Fire, Herbicide, and Mowing in Two Texas Prairies

Conservation of North American grasslands is hampered by the impact of invasive herbaceous species. Selective control of these plants, although desirable, is complicated by the shared physiology and phenology of the invader and the native components of the invaded plant community. Fortunately, there is evidence that some management practices, such as prescribed fire, herbicide, and mowing, can cause differential responses in native and invasive grassland species. However, timing of treatment is critical, and fire has been shown to increase rates of invasion when implemented during the dormant season. Bothriochloa ischaemum, an introduced C4 Eurasian grass is an increasing problem in grasslands, particularly in southern and central regions of North America. To date, there has been little success in effective selective control. Two invaded grassland sites representative of Blackland Prairie and Edwards Plateau ecoregions were subjected to two growing‐season prescribed fire treatments, single and double herbicide applications, and single and double mowing treatments. Mowing had no effect on either B. ischaemum or other dominant species at either site one‐year posttreatment. However, growing‐season fire and herbicide were both effective at reducing the abundance of B. ischaemum, with other codominant species responding either negatively to herbicide or neutrally or positively to fire. The vulnerability of B. ischaemum to growing‐season fire may be associated with the ecology of its native range. The negative growth response to growing‐season fire, combined with its lower implementation costs, indicates that this method warrants further investigation as a selective management tool for other problematic species in invaded grasslands.     

Antagonistic effects of the endophytic fungus Meira geulakonigii on the citrus rust mite Phyllocoptruta oleivora

AIMS: The fungus Meira geulakonigii has been shown to reduce populations of citrus rust mite (CRM; Phyllocoptruta oleivora) on citrus leaves and fruits, in both the field and laboratory. However, attempts to isolate the fungus from leaves and fruits have been unsuccessful. The aims of this study were therefore to determine whether M. geulakonigii is a citrus endophyte, and to assess possible mechanisms involved in its mite-antagonist activity. METHODS AND RESULTS: A quantitative real-time PCR and regular PCR approaches were developed to detect M. geulakonigii in both the field and laboratory. The fungus was detected throughout. Different methods revealed that M. geulakonigii is an endophyte, which colonizes both the peel of grapefruits. Applications of conidia protected the grapefruits against CRM, and fungal secretions extracted from growth media caused 100% CRM mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Meira geulakonigii is a beneficial endophyte of grapefruits that colonizes the fruit's peel, and protects it from CRM. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Findings from this study demonstrate the endophytic nature of M. geulakonigii in its interaction with grapefruits. In addition, a molecular approach was developed to specifically detect the fungus inside the grapefruit peel. This approach can be used to assess the natural occurrence of M. geulakonigii in grapefruit.     

Attenuation of genotoxicity under adhesion-restrictive conditions through modulation of p53,γ H2AX and nuclear DNA organization

Interactions between tumor cells and their substratum influence cancer progression by modulating cell proliferation and survival. We now investigated whether signaling responses to UV irradiation differ on adhesion-permissive or restrictive substrates. The latter conditions diminished spreading and proliferation of neo 6.3/C8161 melanoma in which metastasis is suppressed by introduction of neo-tagged chromosome 6, but permitted proliferation of human metastatic C8161 melanoma. Apoptosis-associated PARP cleavage and DNA fragmentation induced by UV irrradiation were diminished on the restrictive substrate in C8161 melanoma. Genotoxic responses to UV irradiation like persistent increases in the phosphorylation of histone H2AX, induction of the tumor suppressor p53 protein and greater binding of this protein to its DNA consensus sequence, were all decreased on the restrictive substrate. The latter also promoted a 2 fold increase of DNA condensation in chromatin and enhanced activation of the survival - and invasion-associated MMP-9 gelatinase B, preferentially in metastatic C81261 melanoma. Our data suggest that adaptation to restrictive substrates in metastatic C8161 melanoma decreases UV-induced apoptosis, partly through attenuation of DNA damage signaling responses and changes in genomic organization. Mary Strasberg Rieber and Manuel Rieber: This research was supported by the Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research (CIC-CCA) to MR.     

Temporal generalization accounts for response resurgence in the peak procedure

The peak interval (PI) procedure is commonly used to evaluate animals' ability to produce timed intervals. It consists of presenting fixed interval (FI) schedules in which some of the trials are replaced by extended non-reinforced trials. Responding will often resume (resurge) at the end of the non-reinforced trials unless precautions are taken to prevent it. Response resurgence was replicated in rats and pigeons. Variation of the durations of the FI and the non-reinforced probe trials showed it to be dependent on the time when reinforcement is expected. Timing of both the normal time to reinforcement, and the subsequent time to reinforcement during the probe trials followed Weber's law. A quantitative model of resurgence is described, suggesting how animals respond to the signaling properties of reinforcement omission. Model results were simulated using a stochastic binary counter.     

茶黑刺粉虱的生物学特性及防治

茶黑刺粉虱Aleurocanthus spiniferus Quaintance是茶树的主要害虫之一。该虫在山东省薛城1年发生4代,以幼虫在叶片中越冬。对成虫、初孵幼虫和越冬幼虫的田间化学防治试验,结果显示,分别选用1.8%阿维菌素2500倍液或2.5%吡虫啉2000倍液防治成虫或幼虫效果较好。