Field Experiment to Determine Host Specificity and Oviposition Behavior of Bangasternus orientalis and Bangasternus fausti (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Biological Control Candidates for Yellow Starthistle and Diffuse Knapweed

1987 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 645-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald M. Maddox ◽  
Rouhollah Sobhian
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Field Experiment ◽  
Host Specificity ◽  
Oviposition Behavior ◽  
Yellow Starthistle ◽  
Diffuse Knapweed

DNA Fingerprinting to Improve Data Collection Efficiency and Yield in an Open-Field Host-Specificity Test of a Weed Biological Control Candidate

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian G. Rector ◽  
Alessio De Biase ◽  
Massimo Cristofaro ◽  
Simona Primerano ◽  
Silvia Belvedere ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Host Specificity ◽  
Open Field ◽  
Collection Efficiency ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Weed Biological Control ◽  
Yellow Starthistle ◽  
Field Bioassay ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetic ◽  
Test Plants

AbstractAn open-field test was conducted in southern France to assess the host-specificity of Ceratapion basicorne (Illiger), a candidate for biological control of yellow starthistle. Test plants were infested by naturally occurring populations of C. basicorne but were also exposed to sympatric herbivore species, including other Ceratapion spp. Insects from the test plants were collected directly into tubes of ethanol and were subsequently identified to species according to DNA sequence similarity with morphologically identified reference specimens. This integrated, morphological and molecular identification method was used in an effort to maximize the amount of data gained in the field bioassay and to minimize the number of taxonomist–hours necessary to complete the study. The results obtained showed that the French C. basicorne population only attacked yellow starthistle and cornflower, another known host of C. basicorne. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the insects collected from all other nonhost plants rejected the possibility that any were C. basicorne.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document