scholarly journals Elliptic Fourier Analysis in the Study of the Male Genitalia to Discriminate Three Macrolophus Species (Hemiptera: Miridae)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Jauset ◽  
E. Edo-Tena ◽  
P. M. Parés-Casanova ◽  
C. Castañé ◽  
N. Agustí ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Cryptic Species ◽  
Male Genitalia ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Elliptic Fourier Analysis ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Field Crops ◽  
Powerful Approach

Within the genus Macrolophus (Heteroptera: Miridae), the species M. costalis (Fieber), M. melanotoma (Costa) and M. pygmaeus (Rambur) are present in the Mediterranean region on a wide variety of plant species. While M. costalis can easily be separated from the other two by the black tip at the scutellum, M. pygmaeus and M. melanotoma are cryptic species, extremely similar to one another in external traits, which have resulted in misidentifications. M. pygmaeus is an efficient biological control agent, both in greenhouse and field crops. The misidentification of these cryptic species could limit the effectiveness of biological control programs. Although morphology of the left paramere of the male genitalia has been used as a character for identification of these two cryptic species, there is controversy on the reliability of this character as a taxonomic tool for these species. Using geometric morphometric techniques, which are a powerful approach in detecting slight shape variations, the left parameres from these three Macrolophus species were compared. The paramere of M. costalis was larger and had a different shape than that of M. melanotoma and M. pygmaeus; however, no differences in size or shape were found between the left paramere of M. melanotoma and that of M. pygmaeus. Therefore, our results confirm that this character is too similar and it cannot be used to discriminate between these two cryptic species.

scholarly journals Two in one: cryptic species discovered in biological control agent populations using molecular data and crossbreeding experiments

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (17) ◽  
pp. 6139-6150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain D. Paterson ◽  
Rosie Mangan ◽  
Douglas A. Downie ◽  
Julie A. Coetzee ◽  
Martin P. Hill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Cryptic Species ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Control Agent

Predicting the Outcome of Biological Control

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith H. Myers
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Native Habitat

The movement of humans around the earth has been associated with an amazing redistribution of a variety of organisms to new continents and exotic islands. The natural biodiversity of native communities is threatened by new invasive species, and many of the most serious insect and weed pests are exotics. Classical biological control is one approach to dealing with nonindigenous species. If introduced species that lack natural enemies are competitively superior in exotic habitats, introducing some of their predators (herbivores), diseases, or parasitoids may reduce their population densities. Thus, the introduction of more exotic species may be necessary to reduce the competitive superiority of nonindigenous pests. The intentional introduction of insects as biological control agents provides an experimental arena in which adaptations and interactions among species may be tested. We can use biological control programs to explore such evolutionary questions as: What characteristics make a natural enemy a successful biological control agent? Does coevolution of herbivores and hosts or predators (parasitoids) and prey result in few species of natural enemies having the potential to be successful biological control agents? Do introduced natural enemies make unexpected host range shifts in new environments? Do exotic species lose their defense against specialized natural enemies after living for many generations without them? If coevolution is a common force in nature, we expect biological control interactions to demonstrate a dynamic interplay between hosts and their natural enemies. In this chapter, I consider biological control introductions to be experiments that might yield evidence on how adaptation molds the interactions between species and their natural enemies. I argue that the best biological control agents will be those to which the target hosts have not evolved resistance. Classical biological control is the movement of natural enemies from a native habitat to an exotic habitat where their host has become a pest. This approach to exotic pests has been practiced since the late 1800s, when Albert Koebele explored the native habitat of the cottony cushion scale, Icrya purchasi, in Australia and introduced Vadalia cardinalis beetles (see below) to control the cottony cushion scale on citrus in California. This control has continued to be a success.

scholarly journals On the efficiency of entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae) on rust red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst.) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatma Dolunay Erdoğuş
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Entomopathogenic Nematodes ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Pure Water ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Red Flour Beetle ◽  
Flour Beetle ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Coleoptera Tenebrionidae

Abstract Background The rust red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst.) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is a serious pest of stored grains and grain products across the world. This beetle is hold a significant place in Turkey by causing damages on stored products. T. castaneum primarily attacks milled grain and its derivates. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are regarded as extremely an important biological control agent. EPNs kills their hosts within 48 h by the bacteria they carry. Results Efficacies of 4 isolates of EPNs Steinernema carpocapsae (Tokat Bakisli 05), S. feltiae (Tokat-Emir), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (TOK-20) and H. bacteriophora (11-KG) against T. castaneum was investigated under laboratory conditions. The experiments were carried out thrice with 10 replicates at 2 different temperatures (15 and 25 ºC). EPNs isolates were tested at 3 different concentrations (250, 500 and 1000 IJs/ml) with a pure water as control. The overall mortality caused by H. bacteriophora (Kg11) was significantly higher than the other EPN species. At 25 ºC, H. bacteriophora (Kg11) at the highest concentration (1000 IJs/ml) caused 87.6% mortality after 120 h., followed by S. carpocapsae and S. feltiae with 79.22 and 75.3% mortality rates, respectively. The mortality percentages exhibited by all nematodes’ species at both temperatures were lowest at the concentration of (250 IJs/ml). At 15 °C, H. bacteriophora (Kg11) caused (55.2%) mortality rate at the highest concentration (1000 IJs / ml) after 120 h. Conclusion The study suggested that these nematodes were efficient and could be recommended to control T. castaneum in its biological control programs.

Hybridization between Dactylopius tomentosus (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae) biotypes and its effects on host specificity

2010 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.W. Mathenge ◽  
P. Holford ◽  
J.H. Hoffmann ◽  
H.G. Zimmermann ◽  
R.N. Spooner-Hart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Biological Control ◽  
Host Specificity ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Weed Species ◽  
Maternal Parent ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Fitness Index ◽  
Biological Performance

AbstractDactylopius tomentosus is composed of biotypes adapted to different Cylindropuntia species. One biotype is an important biological control agent of C. imbricata in South Africa while another has the potential for the control of C. fulgida var. fulgida. These two weed species occur in sympatry in some areas of South Africa, so the introduction of the second biotype could result in hybridization, which, in turn, could impact on the biological control programs through altered host specificity and fitness of the hybrids. To anticipate what might happen, reciprocal crosses were made between the two biotypes, and the biological performance of the resultant hybrids was compared with that of each parental lineage on C. imbricata and C. f. var. fulgida. The biotypes interbred freely and reciprocally in the laboratory. Comparisons of crawler and adult female traits showed differences in performance that were dependent on the origin of the maternal and paternal genomes. However, when all traits were combined into a ‘fitness index’, both hybrids clearly outperformed the parental lineages. The increase in fitness shown by the hybrids over their maternal lineage was greater on the alternative host of the maternal parent than on the natural host of the maternal parent. Therefore, in areas where the two cacti occur in sympatry, hybridization between the biotypes is not expected to be detrimental to the biological control of either weed.

scholarly journals UV-LED lights enhance the establishment and biological control efficacy of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae)

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245165
Author(s):  
Young-gyun Park ◽  
Joon-Ho Lee
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Growth Chamber ◽  
Led Light ◽  
Greenhouse Crops ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Uv Led ◽  
Nesidiocoris Tenuis ◽  
Mirid Bug

The zoophytophagous mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) is one of the biological control agents against the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), a major pest of greenhouse crops. The successful establishment of a biological control agent and its co-occurrence with the target pests increases the efficacy of biological control programs in greenhouses. In this study, we explored the effects of different wavelengths of LED light on establishment of N. tenuis in laboratory condition, with the goal of enhancing the biological control of B. tabaci in greenhouse crops. Nesidiocoris tenuis was most strongly attracted by LED light at a wavelength of 385 nm. This same wavelength was also highly attractive to B. tabaci in Y-tube experiments with lights of specific wavelengths provided is each arm of the apparatus. In trials in growth chambers, we verified the attraction of N. tenuis to 385 nm wavelength. When LED light at a wavelength of 385 nm was used in a growth chamber for 6 hours out of 24 hours, it significantly increased the remaining number of N. tenuis in growth chamber and level of predation compared to treatment with white LED light or without LED light. In conclusion, UV-LED light at a wavelength of 385 nm attracts both B. tabaci and N. tenuis. Thus, it would be used for enhancing early establishment of this mirid bug, better spatial congruence of both mirid bug and whitefly, and better control of the whitefly.

scholarly journals Evidence for a cryptic parasitoid species reveals its suitability as a biological control agent

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Lukas Seehausen ◽  
Nicolas Ris ◽  
Laetitia Driss ◽  
Alessandro Racca ◽  
Pierre Girod ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Parasitoid Wasp ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Spotted Wing Drosophila ◽  
Drosophila Suzukii ◽  
Crossing Experiments ◽  
Parasitoid Species ◽  
Control Programs

Abstract Uncertainty about the taxonomic status and the specificity of a species commonly prevent its consideration as a candidate for biological control of pest organisms. Here we use a combination of molecular analysis and crossing experiments to gather evidence that the parasitoid wasp Ganaspis brasiliensis, a candidate for biological control of the invasive spotted wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii, is a complex of at least two cryptic species. Complementary experiments demonstrate that individuals from one genetic group readily parasitize several drosophila species regardless of their food source while individuals from the other one are almost exclusively specific to larvae feeding in ripening fruits. Because only D. suzukii attacks ripening fruits in its area of invasion, parasitoids from this second group appear to be well suited as a biological control agent. Our study demonstrates the need for a combination of biosystematics with biological and ecological investigations for the development of safe and efficient biological control programs.

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