The presence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zygina</Emphasis> sp. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Puccinia myrsiphylli</Emphasis> reduces survival and influences oviposition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crioceris</Emphasis> sp. |
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Authors: | Helen Spafford Jacob Thomas E Reilly Kathryn L Batchelor |
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Institution: | (1) CRC Australian Weed Management, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia;(2) School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia;(3) CSIRO Entomology, Wembley, WA, 6913, Australia |
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Abstract: | A leaf beetle, Crioceris sp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), was introduced into Australia as a biological control agent of bridal creeper (Asparagus asparagoides L. Druce) during October 2002. Rearing of Crioceris sp. is labour intensive therefore all releases of Crioceris sp. have been under 1000 individuals, which may be too low to ensure establishment if high mortality and high competition
with other agents occurs. The aim of this study is to understand how the presence of two well-established biocontrol agents,
a rust fungus (Puccinia myrsiphylli (Thuem) Wint Basidiomycota: Uredinales]) and a leafhopper (Zygina sp. Hemiptera: Cicadellidae]), might influence Crioceris sp. establishment. Crioceris sp. neonate larvae were placed on bridal creeper plants with or without the leafhopper and/or rust. The number of larvae
that pupated was reduced by 38 and 65% in the presence of the rust fungus and leafhopper, respectively and by 45% in the presence
of both agents. As the area infected by the rust increased the area damaged by the leafhopper decreased. The rust appeared
to be negatively impacted by the presence of the leafhopper. In a second experiment, female Crioceris sp. adults were given a choice between uninfested bridal creeper plants and those infested with the rust or the leafhopper.
The females preferred to lay their eggs on plants without leafhoppers but did not seem to be deterred by the presence of the
rust. Consequently, the performance and impact of Crioceris sp. on bridal creeper may be reduced if populations overlap with the other biocontrol agents in the field. |
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Keywords: | Coleoptera Chrysomelidae Hemiptera Cicadellidae Basidiomycota Uredinales weed biological control interspecific competition bridal creeper |
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