Biology of the Introduced Biocontrol Agent Microctonus hyperodae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Its Host Listronotus bonariensis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Northern New Zealand

2013 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Biocontrol Agent ◽  
Listronotus Bonariensis ◽  
Microctonus Hyperodae

scholarly journals Microctonus hyperodae in Otago and Southland

2011 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
pp. 283-283
Author(s):  
C.M. Ferguson ◽  
B.I.P. Barratt ◽  
D.M. Barton ◽  
D.J. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Biocontrol Agent ◽  
Nutritional Qualities ◽  
Listronotus Bonariensis ◽  
Microctonus Hyperodae ◽  
Limited Period

In 1990 Microctonus hyperodae was released in Otago and Southland as a biocontrol agent against Argentine stem weevil (ASW) (Listronotus bonariensis) At that time ASW was New Zealands major pasture pest but attained only sporadic importance in the southern South Island Since then possibly due to higher nutritional qualities of modern ryegrass cultivars and/or changes in annual thermal accumulation ASW has increased in significance Farmers once relied on endophytefree ryegrasses but now sow infected grasses While endophyte helps protect against ASW damage augmentation by M hyperodae parasitism is desirable Establishment and localised spread of M hyperodae was measured around the release sites but subsequent distribution over the wider southern South Island was not Between September and November 2011 52 pastures were sampled and ASW was found in all Microctonus hyperodae was reared from 18 of these pastures at levels of 133 parasitism but in 15 pastures parasitism was less than 7 The information gathered covers a limited period but suggests that M hyperodae is not as successful in the far south as in other parts of New Zealand The reasons for this and possible implications warrant further investigation both to understand the situation and to investigate if supplementary releases of M hyperodae can be usefully undertaken

scholarly journals The current status of Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis) as a pest in the North Island of New Zealand

2011 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
pp. 55-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J. Popay ◽  
M.R. McNeill ◽  
S.L. Goldson ◽  
C.M. Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Italian Ryegrass ◽  
Current Status ◽  
The North ◽  
Listronotus Bonariensis ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Microctonus Hyperodae ◽  
Behavioural Adaptations

Recent sampling in Waikato and Taranaki shows that Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis) can still cause major damage to susceptible ryegrass pastures despite the introduction of the parasitoid Microctonus hyperodae in 1991 Percentage of tillers with L bonariensis larval damage in diploid and tetraploid perennial ryegrass and Italian ryegrass in January and February were between 11 and 68 High egg numbers were noted on occasion Although there is evidence that M hyperodae reduces host populations parasitism levels vary considerably between years in Canterbury and are low in Otago and Southland where high populations of L bonariensis have recently been recorded Factors that may be lessening the impact of M hyperodae are considered These include asynchronous generations of the parasitoid and its host host behavioural adaptations compensatory oviposition and inhibition of flight in parasitised individuals leading to low levels of parasitism in new pastures

scholarly journals Microctonus hyperodae a summary of releases and distribution in New Zealand pasture

2002 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 272-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.R. McNeill ◽  
P.J. Addison ◽  
J.R. Proffitt ◽  
C.B. Phillips ◽  
S.L. Goldson
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
South America ◽  
Single Female ◽  
Limited Distribution ◽  
The North ◽  
Research Programmes ◽  
Geographic Populations ◽  
Listronotus Bonariensis ◽  
Microctonus Hyperodae

The braconid parasitoid Microctonus hyperodae was released in New Zealand for biological control of Argentine stem weevil Listronotus bonariensis The initial 1991 research introduction involved the release of 99000 parasitised L bonariensis Between 1991 and 1998 a further 660000 M hyperodae were released as part of commercial contracts and research programmes Commercial contracts resulted in the widespread release of the parasitoid in the North Island with South Island releases mainly confined to midCanterbury There were eight geographic populations originally collected from South America and these were maintained separately in the laboratory Excluding the Mendoza population which was founded on a single female an average of 91040 M hyperodae was released from each of the seven remaining populations Parasitised L bonariensis were released at a total of 121 sites and the parasitoid established at 118 (975) Based on the distribution of releases in New Zealand and the results of surveys it is estimated that M hyperodae is now very widely distributed in the North Island with more limited distribution in the South Island

scholarly journals Allozyme variation between South American geographic populations of Microctonus hyperodae

2002 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 267-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
I.I. Iline ◽  
C.B. Phillips ◽  
S.L. Goldson ◽  
H.M. Chapman
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Allozyme Variation ◽  
South American ◽  
Preliminary Assessment ◽  
The West ◽  
South American Population ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Geographic Populations ◽  
Listronotus Bonariensis ◽  
Microctonus Hyperodae

Eight South American geographic populations of the parasitoid Microctonus hyperodae Loan (Hymenoptera Braconidae) have been released in New Zealand to help suppress the pasture pest Listronotus bonariensis (Kuschel) (Colepotera Curculionidae) Parasitoids from each South American population were released in equal numbers throughout New Zealand It was postulated that the population(s) best suited to the conditions encountered at each New Zealand release locality would eventually become prevalent there Genetic markers which will enable the South American populations that have become successful in New Zealand to be identified are being developed and this paper reports a preliminary assessment of M hyperodae allozyme variation Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) was the only variable enzyme of the six that were assayed and it exhibited variation consistent with the presence of two alleles All parasitoids from east of the Andes (Argentina Brazil and Uruguay) were heterozygous (MDHa/MDHb) while all those from the west (Chile) were homozygous (MDHa/MDHa) This corroborates earlier morphometric evidence of genetic differentiation between South American populations and indicates that work with additional enzymes should yield more markers

Effect of the ratios ofListronotus bonariensisandSitona discoideus(Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to their respective parasitoidsMicroctonus hyperodaeandM. aethiopoides(Hymenoptera: Braconidae), on parasitism, host oviposition and feeding in the laboratory

1996 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.I.P. Barratt ◽  
A.A. Evans ◽  
P.D. Johnstone
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Exposure Time ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Parasite Number ◽  
Listronotus Bonariensis ◽  
Microctonus Aethiopoides ◽  
Microctonus Hyperodae

AbstractThe parasitoidsMicroctonus hyperodaeLoan andM. aethiopoidesLoan have been introduced into New Zealand to control the forage pestsListronotus bonariensis(Kuschel) andSitona discoideusGyllenhal, respectively. Laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of host–parasitoid ratio, and exposure time on host survival, parasitism, oviposition and feeding. Cages of 20 field collected weevils were exposed to 0, 1, 3 or 6 parasitoids for 0, 1, 12 or 48 hours, maintained until parasitoid pupal emergence, and surviving weevils dissected. Over the ranges studied, increasing parasite number, and to a greater extent, period of exposure of parasitoids to their hosts increased parasitism levels.Microctonus aethiopoidesachieved higher levels of parasitism inS. discoideusat the lower parasitoid contact treatments than didM. hyperodaeinL. bonariensis. Fecundity in unparasitized weevils was progressively reduced in bothL. bonariensisandS. discoideusin relation to increasing exposure to parasitoids. Feeding was reduced by about 40% inL. bonariensisfor at least four days after parasitoids were removed, and inS. discoideusfor the duration of the experiment, averaging 15%. Results were discussed in relation to possible mechanisms of indirect effects of parasitoids on unparasitized hosts.

scholarly journals Detection of young Microctonus hyperodae eggs in the Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis)

2010 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
pp. 272-272
Author(s):  
J. Vereijssen ◽  
K.F. Armstrong ◽  
L.M. Winder ◽  
S.L. Goldson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Premature Mortality ◽  
Visual Observation ◽  
Molecular Method ◽  
Fresh Tissue ◽  
Adult Parasitoid ◽  
Listronotus Bonariensis ◽  
Microctonus Hyperodae ◽  
Sensitive Method

The braconid endoparasitoid Microctonus hyperodae was successfully introduced into New Zealand in 1991 to control the exotic pastoral pest Argentine stem weevil (ASW) The wasp parasitises adult ASW and the weevil normally dies only when the fifthinstar parasitoid larva emerges However during biocontrol research over the last 20 years premature mortality of ASW has been observed under conditions of high parasitoid pressure in the field and laboratory It was hypothesised that this occurs because of injection of venom without an egg To conclude absence of a parasitoid egg in a prematurely dead weevil a sensitive method is needed to detect a newly oviposited parasitoid egg However this cannot be confirmed by visual observation or by dissection because fresh tissue is subsequently needed to detect venom A molecular method was therefore developed Firstly to model oviposition eggs were dissected from the ovaries of an adult parasitoid and one ovarian parasitoid egg was used to spike ASWs that had been dissected to confirm absence of parasitism Secondly multiplexPCR was successful in detecting a single ovarian egg in ASW This result greatly benefits research into the observed premature mortality of ASW after being exposed to M hyperodae

Listronotus bonariensis(Coleoptera: Curculionidae) flight in Canterbury, New Zealand

1999 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 423-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.L. Goldson ◽  
J.R. Proffitt ◽  
D.B. Baird
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Muscle Development ◽  
Summer Generation ◽  
Listronotus Bonariensis ◽  
Flight Muscles ◽  
Escape Responses ◽  
First And Second Generation ◽  
Different Characteristics ◽  
Microctonus Hyperodae

AbstractFlight byListronotus bonariensis(Kuschel) in Canterbury, New Zealand varied greatly both within and between seasons; no winter flight was detected between mid-May and mid-August. Predisposing conditions for flight were found to be >19degC, rh <81% and windspeed <10.8 km h–1. Three flight phases with different characteristics were identified when approximately equal numbers of weevils were trapped. These were between mid-August and early December (overwintered weevils), between early December and mid-March (first summer generation weevils) and mid-March and mid-May (first and second generation weevils). The proportion of individuals with developed flight musculature wasc. 8% in the first phase and 30% in the last phase; muscle development was delayed in the mid-phase. First phase weevils with flight muscles werec. 20 times more likely to fly than those in the last. A very weak inverse relationship was observed between developed flight musculature and the presence or absence of eggs. Similarly, there was a very weak inverse relationship between weevil ground densities and the proportion with developed flight muscles. Levels of parasitism byMicroctonus hyperodaeLoan amongst trapped weevils were far less than that on the ground, indicating that it inhibits flight and may explain the relatively slow dispersal of the parasitoid. It was concluded that the adaptive implications of flight could be linked to escape responses from desiccating microclimates rather than dispersal from crowded habitats.

scholarly journals Progress in defining the significance of intraspecific variation to the success of the Argentine stem weevil parasitoid in New Zealand

2000 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 425-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.B. Phillips ◽  
M.R. McNeill ◽  
R.P. Cane ◽  
S.L. Goldson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Field Experiment ◽  
Intraspecific Variation ◽  
Morphometric Analysis ◽  
South American ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Geographic Populations ◽  
Listronotus Bonariensis ◽  
Microctonus Hyperodae

Releases of eight South American geographic populations of the parasitoid Microctonus hyperodae Loan (Hymenoptera Braconidae) began in New Zealand in 1991 to assist in the suppression of the pasture pest Listronotus bonariensis (Kuschel) (Coleoptera Curculionidae) A morphometric analysis of M hyperodae adults collected from five of the New Zealand release sites during 199294 indicated that parasitoids derived from west of the South American Andes were significantly less successful than those from east of the Andes It was postulated that parasitoids from west of the Andes were either poorly adapted to New Zealand conditions and unable to establish or were reasonably well adapted to New Zealand conditions but were slightly less competitive than parasitoids from east of the Andes Preliminary results from a field experiment where parasitoids from east and west of the Andes were released separately strongly support the latter possibility

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document