Detection of Ralstonia solanacearum in Soil and Weeds from Commercial Tomato Fields Using Immunocapture and the Polymerase Chain Reaction

A detection assay for Ralstonia solanacearum in soil and weeds was developed by combining immunocapture and the polymerase chain reaction (IC‐PCR). Anti‐R. solanacearum polyclonal antibodies were produced in a white female rabbit and Dynal^® super‐paramagnetic beads were coated with purified immunoglobulinG (IgG). Using IC‐PCR, the 718 bp target DNA was amplified at a detection threshold of approximately 10⁴ colony‐forming units (CFU) bacteria per millilitre of suspension. DNA was not amplified in soil suspensions derived from autoclaved and non‐autoclaved soils, which contained R. solanacearum at 1–10⁵ CFU/g soil. However, a positive PCR result was obtained when bacteria in the soil suspensions were first enriched in nutrient broth. IC‐PCR detected R. solanacearum in tomato stems 24 h after inoculation by stem puncture with a suspension containing approximately 10⁵ CFU/ml. IC‐PCR detected the bacterium in 28 of 55 (51%) weeds and 10 of 32 (31%) soil samples. Of the weeds, Physalis minima, Amaranthus spinosus and Euphorbia hirta had the highest incidence of infection. R. solanacearum was not detected in soil taken from fallow fields, but it was discovered in some weed species. Symptomless tomato and pepper plants collected from the fields in which tomato bacterial wilt had previously occurred were found to contain R. solanacearum. These discoveries suggest that weeds and latent hosts may play a role in the survival of R. solanacearum between cropping cycles.     

Biology, host range, and risk assessment supporting release in Africa of Falconia intermedia (Heteroptera: Miridae), a new biocontrol agent for Lantana camara

The ornamental hybrid shrub, Lantana camara L. (lantana), is a serious environmental weed and has been targeted for biological control in South Africa since 1961. The established biocontrol agents cause insufficient levels of damage and additional natural enemies are required to reduce the invasiveness of this weed. The lantana mirid, Falconia intermedia (Distant), is a promising new agent that was imported from the Caribbean for life history and host-range studies. The nymphs and adults are leaf-suckers that cause chlorotic speckling, which reduces the photosynthetic capacity of the plant. Biological studies indicate that F. intermedia has considerable biocontrol potential, in that it has a high intrinsic rate of increase, the potential for multiple generations a year, highly mobile adults, and a high level of damage per individual. Host-specificity trials indicated that the lantana mirid has a narrow host range, with L. camara being the most suitable host, but several indigenous African species in the closely related genus Lippia are suitable alternative host plants. Under multiple-choice conditions, adults showed a significant and strong oviposition preference for L. camara over the Lippia species. A risk assessment of potential nontarget effects indicated that three Lippia species could sustain damage levels in the field. The relatively low probability of damage to indigenous species was considered a justified trade-off for the potentially marked impact on L. camara. The regulatory authorities accepted the results of this study and F. intermedia was released against L. camara in South Africa in April 1999.     

Biology and host range of the stem-boring beetle Aphanasium australe, a promising agent for the biological control of Hakea sericea in South Africa

The invasive Australian shrubHakea sericea Shrader is a majorenvironmental weed in the Western and EasternCape Provinces of South Africa. Dense,impenetrable thickets severely threaten theunique endemic vegetation of the Cape FloristicKingdom, increase fire hazards and reduce wateryields in catchments. Biological control,initiated in the 1970s, is largely confined tothe use of seed-feeding insect agents. Becausenone of these agents reduce the density ofexisting hakea populations, a stem-boringbeetle, Aphanasium australe (Boisduval) (Cerambycidae),was imported into quarantine in South Africa in1975. During multichoice oviposition tests,involving 12 Australian and six South Africanproteaceous species, in a walk-in cage, A. australe only oviposited on four species ofHakea and two exotic species of Grevillea. However, culturing difficultiesresulted in the suspension of host-specificitytesting after three years. Testing was resumedfollowing re-importations in 1995, also becauseA. australe also attacks Hakeagibbosa (Sm.) Cav., which is not attacked byany of the existing biocontrol agents. Duringno-choice survival tests, involving 66test plant species from 15 families, A. australe only developed on H. sericea, H. gibbosa and one exoticspecies of Grevillea. The contention thatA. australe is confined to the genus Hakea was confirmed by host records andsurveys in Australia which provided no evidenceof attacks on crop, pasture or related plants.The regulatory authorities accepted theseresults and A. australe was cleared forrelease in South Africa during 2001.     

草履蚧一龄若虫的发育历期与防治

在郑州通过室外埋卵观察,草履蚧Drosicha corpulenta Kuwana从1月初开始孵化,孵化后在土里等到2月初开始出土,此时日最高气温在6～8℃之间。若虫出土期约30d,2月中下旬为出土高峰期。经设置14,18,22,26和30℃5个温度梯度观察,草履蚧1龄若虫发育起点温度为7.9℃,有效积温为203.8日.度。利用树干绑缚杀虫药带防治效果达到98%以上。     

The effect of two biological control agents, the weevil Neochetina eichhorniae and the mirid Eccritotarsus catarinensis on water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes , grown in culture with water lettuce, Pistia stratiotes

We assessed the effect of two biological control agents, the mirid Eccritotarsus catarinensis (Carvalho) and the weevil Neochetina eichhorniae (Warner), singly or in combination, on the competitive ability of their host plant, water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms-Laub., grown in a screen house, in competition with another aquatic plant (Pistia stratiotes L.). Water hyacinth plant growth characteristics measured included fresh weight, leaf and petiole lengths, number of inflorescences produced, and new shoots. Without herbivory, water hyacinth was 18 times more competitive than water lettuce (across all experimental combinations of initial plant densities), as estimated from fresh weights. Both insect species, singly or in combination, reduced water hyacinth plant growth characteristics. E. catarinensis alone was less damaging than the weevil and under normal conditions, i.e., floating water hyacinth, is not expected to increase control of water hyacinth beyond that of the weevil. When combined with the weevil, half the inoculum of weevils and half the inoculum of mirids produced the same growth reduction as the full inoculum of the weevil. Under conditions where the weevils are not effective because water hyacinths are seasonally rooted in mud, the mirid, which lives entirely on leaves, should become a useful additional biological control agent. Handling Editor: John Scott.     

Assessing the risks of releasing a sap-sucking lace bug, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gargaphia decoris</Emphasis>, against the invasive tree <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum mauritianum</Emphasis> in New Zealand

The South American tree Solanum mauritianum Scopoli (Solanaceae), a major environmental weed in South Africa and New Zealand, has been targeted for biological control, with releases of agents restricted to South Africa. The leaf-sucking lace bug, Gargaphia decoris Drake (Tingidae), so far the only agent released, has become established in South Africa with recent reports of severe damage at a few field sites. To evaluate the insect’s suitability for release in New Zealand, host-specificity testing was carried out in South Africa in laboratory and open-field trials, with selected cultivated and native species of Solanum from New Zealand. No-choice tests confirmed the results of earlier trials that none of the three native New Zealand Solanum species are acceptable as hosts. Although the cultivated Solanum muricatum Aiton and S. quitoense Lam. also proved unacceptable as hosts, some cultivars of S. melongena L. (eggplant) supported feeding, development and oviposition in the no-choice tests. Although eggplant was routinely accepted under laboratory no-choice conditions in this and previous studies, observations in the native and introduced range of G. decoris, open-field trials and risk assessment based on multiple measures of insect performance indicate that the insect has a host range restricted to S. mauritianum. These results strongly support the proposed release of G. decoris in New Zealand because risks to non-target native and cultivated Solanum species appear to be negligible. An application for permission to release G. decoris in New Zealand will be submitted to the regulatory authority. Handling editor: John Scott.     

Clonal integration supports the expansion from terrestrial to aquatic environments of the amphibious stoloniferous herb Alternanthera philoxeroides

Effects of clonal integration on land plants have been extensively studied, but little is known about the role in amphibious plants that expand from terrestrial to aquatic conditions. We simulated expansion from terrestrial to aquatic habitats in the amphibious stoloniferous alien invasive alligator weed ( Alternanthera philoxeroides ) by growing basal ramets of clonal fragments in soils connected (allowing integration) or disconnected (preventing integration) to the apical ramets of the same fragments submerged in water to a depth of 0, 5, 10 or 15 cm. Clonal integration significantly increased growth and clonal reproduction of the apical ramets, but decreased both of these characteristics in basal ramets. Consequently, integration did not affect the performance of whole clonal fragments. We propose that alligator weed possesses a double-edged mechanism during population expansion: apical ramets in aquatic habitats can increase growth through connected basal parts in terrestrial habitats; however, once stolon connections with apical ramets are lost by external disturbance, the basal ramets in terrestrial habitats increase stolon and ramet production for rapid spreading. This may contribute greatly to the invasiveness of alligator weed and also make it very adaptable to habitats with heavy disturbance and/or highly heterogeneous resource supply.     

Expanding horizons for herbaceous ecosystem restoration: the Grassy Groundcover Restoration Project

Summary The Grassy Groundcover Restoration Project (GGRP) has sown thirteen 1 ha plots of species‐rich grassland or herbaceous understorey in previously weedy agricultural paddocks in a range of rural locations across southern and western Victoria, Australia. The sown plots are intended as both experimental trials and ‘core’ areas for the restoration of herbaceous communities native to these regions. Approximately 200 species were grown in Seed Production Areas (SPAs) and successfully sown in the field. Species were most successfully established on areas that were scalped prior to seeding, and least successful on plots that were pre‐treated with 1, 2 or 3 years of traditional herbicide weed control. Weed presence was lowest in scalped plots and highest in non‐scalped plots. Long‐term monitoring will be required to understand the development trajectories and degree of persistence of the sown communities, but in the shorter term (3–6 years of post‐seeding) an average of 80% of sown species have established and remain as adult populations. Surveys indicate that in scalped plots (n = 130) vegetation composition, structure and quality has been maintained. Conversely, composition, structure and quality have declined markedly in non‐scalped plots (n = 130). Formal surveys and field observations have also revealed that all sites provide a range of habitats which have been colonized by fauna from a variety of trophic levels. The implications of building on these trials to realize complex grassy ecosystem restoration at larger scales are discussed including the securing of sufficient quantities of high‐quality seed, the use of mechanized broad‐scale direct‐seeding techniques and the effectiveness of using complex mixtures of species early in the restoration cycle.     

Chondrostereum purpureum and Fusarium tumidum independently reduce regrowth in gorse (Ulex europaeus)

An experiment was conducted in two gorse populations (Ulex europaeus) in which Chondrostereum purpureum was applied each month as mycelial-agar cultures to the wounds of decapitated stems of previously untreated gorse plants to determine its potential as a mycoherbicide. Summer-autumn (Feb-May) or late winter-early spring (Aug-Sept) applications were effective in both populations, halving stem stump survival (from an average of 56 to 29%). Another experiment in the same gorse populations evaluated the combined effects of C. purpureum applied in May to decapitated stems, and Fusarium tumidum applied as spores in an invert emulsion to regenerative shoots 5-6 months later. There was no evidence of synergism between the two fungi; each pathogen independently reduced the density of regenerative shoots on the decapitated stems by 39-63% averaged over the 12 months following their respective applications. It is concluded that both pathogens have potential as mycoherbicides for gorse regenerating after stem decapitation.