<Emphasis Type="Italic">Myrothecium verrucaria</Emphasis> – a potential biological control agent for the invasive ‘old world climbing fern’ (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lygodium microphyllum</Emphasis>) |
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Authors: | Tainya C Clarke Kateel G Shetty Krishnaswamy Jayachandran Michael R Norland |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Environmental Studies, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, Florida 33199, USA;(2) Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA;(3) South Florida Natural Resource Center, Everglades National Park, Homestead, Florida, USA |
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Abstract: | One of the greatest threats to the native ecosystems in any part of the world is the invasion and permanent colonization of
ecosystems by non-native species. Florida is no exception to this biological invasion, and is currently colonized by an extensive
variety of exotic plant species. Originally imported from Asia over 30 years ago, Old World Climbing Fern Lygodium microphyllum (Cavanilles) R. Brown) has become one of the most invasive and destructive weeds in southern Florida. To date different effective
control measures of its growth and spread have not been successful; fire and herbicide applications that are currently employed
are neither cost effective nor environmentally friendly. In light of the highly delicate ecosystem that is being affected
by L. microphyllum, we tested the soil fungus Myrothecium verrucaria (Albertini and Schwein) Ditmar: Fr. for its pathogenicity on the invasive fern. In greenhouse studies the effect of two conidial
concentrations of M. verrucaria on L. microphyllum was investigated. Plants were spray inoculated with M. verrucaria which resulted in successful disease development with leaf necrosis symptoms. The higher conidial concentration (1 × 108 ml−1) produced a disease index of approximately 3 on a scale of 0 to 4, day 24 postinitial inoculation, demonstrating the efficacy
of this fungus as a severe retardant of Lygodium growth. Preliminary screening of selected native plant species for susceptibility to M. verrucaria showed low disease indices after repeated spray inoculations; the highest index attained was 0.4 by Slash pine (Pinus elliottii). |
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Keywords: | Myrothecium Lygodium Schizaeceae biocontrol exotic |
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