scholarly journals Evaluating Beautyberry and Fig Species as Potential Hosts of Invasive Crapemyrtle Bark Scale in the United States

2022 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-15
Author(s):  
Bin Wu ◽  
Runshi Xie ◽  
Gary W. Knox ◽  
Hongmin Qin ◽  
Mengmeng Gu

Crapemyrtle bark scale [CMBS (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae)], a newly emerged pest in the United States, has spread to 16 U.S. states and unexpectedly spread on a native species american beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) in Texas and Louisiana in 2016 since it was initially reported on crapemyrtles (Lagerstroemia sp.) in Texas in 2004. The infestation of CMBS negatively impacted the flowering of crapemyrtles. We observed the infestation on the two most commercially available edible fig (Ficus carica) cultivars Beer’s Black and Chicago Hardy in a preliminary trial in 2018. To help estimate CMBS potential in aggravating risks to the ecosystem stability and the green industry, we conducted a host range and suitability test using ‘Bok Tower’ american beautyberry as a positive control with other eight beautyberry (Callicarpa) species [mexican beautyberry (C. acuminata), ‘Profusion’ bodinieri beautyberry (C. bodinieri), ‘Issai’ purple beautyberry (C. dichotoma), japanese beautyberry (C. japonica var. luxurians), ‘Alba’ white-fruited asian beautyberry (C. longissima), taiwan beautyberry (C. pilosissima), luanta beautyberry (C. randaiensis), and willow-leaf beautyberry (C. salicifolia)] and three fig (Ficus) species [creeping fig (F. pumila), roxburgh fig (F. auriculata), and waipahu fig (F. tikoua)] over 25 weeks. All the tested beautyberry species and waipahu fig sustainably supported the development and reproduction of nymphal CMBS and were confirmed as CMBS hosts. Furthermore, comparing with the control, mexican beautyberry, ‘Profusion’ bodinieri beautyberry, taiwan beautyberry, and willow-leaf beautyberry were significantly less suitable, while ‘Issai’ purple beautyberry, japanese beautyberry, ‘Alba’ white-fruited asian beautyberry, and luanta beautyberry were as suitable as ‘Bok Tower’ american beautyberry. Thus, when using beautyberries in landscapes, their different potential to host CMBS should be considered to minimize spreading CMBS through the native ecosystems.

Parasite ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Tielemans ◽  
Tomoko Otsuki ◽  
Tara Cheesman ◽  
Fiona Selmes ◽  
Anthony Pfefferkorn ◽  
...  

Esafoxolaner is a purified afoxolaner enantiomer with insecticidal and acaricidal properties. It is combined with eprinomectin and praziquantel, nematodicidal and cestodicidal compounds, in a novel topical endectoparasiticide formulation for cats. This novel formulation was tested in four field studies, in the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia. In all studies, naturally flea-infested domestic cats were treated with the novel formulation at the label dose and conditions of use. The main objective, identical in the four studies, was to assess efficacy on fleas, based on comparison of mean number of fleas found on infested cats before and one month after treatment. Tolerance to the product was also evaluated in the four studies. Otherwise, the studies had some differences in their design and secondary objectives, for example testing for a reduction in flea infestation-related cutaneous signs, testing of one treatment or of three monthly treatments, and use of a positive control group. In the four studies, a total of 307 cats were treated with the novel formulation. The reduction of fleas one month after treatment was 97.7%, 98.8%, 100% and 99.7% in the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia, respectively. There were no significant health abnormalities attributed to treatment in any of the studies.


1981 ◽  
Vol 59 (9) ◽  
pp. 1836-1846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murray J. Kennedy

Previous experimental and field studies have shown that variations within the genus Haematoloechus may result from differences in age and degree of maturity, extent of crowding, species of host, and other factors.Based on these observations, only 6 of the 15 previously known species from Canada and the United States are considered valid. The valid species and their synonyms are as follows: Haematoloechus longiplexus Stafford, 1902; H. breviplexus Stafford, 1902; H. varioplexus Stafford, 1902 (= H. parviplexus, = H. buttensis, = H. similiplexus, = H. floedae, and H. uniplexus); H. kernensis Ingles, 1932 (= H. tumidus); H. medioplexus Stafford, 1902; and H. complexus (Seely, 1906) (= H. coloradensis, = H. confusus, = H. oxyorchis).The existence of three species groups is hypothesized. Haematoloechus longiplexus and H. breviplexus constitute one group, characterized by little geographical variation and a narrow host range. They are typically parasites of Rana catesbeiana and R. clamitans. Haematoloechus varioplexus and H. kernensis constitute the second group. These species have a wider host range and greater variation in characters purported to be specific differences. The third group includes those lung flukes which do not contain extracaecal loops (H. medioplexus and H. complexus). Of these, only H. medioplexus had little geographical variation and was found to occur in a single frog host.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jialiang Zhang ◽  
Evan Siemann ◽  
Baoliang Tian ◽  
Wei Huang ◽  
Jianqing Ding

Abstract Aims Seeds of many invasive plants germinate more quickly than those of native species, likely facilitating invasion success. Assessing the germination traits and seed properties simultaneously for introduced and native populations of an invasive plant is essential to understanding biological invasions. Here, we used Triadica sebifera as a study organism to examine intraspecific differences in seed germination together with seed characteristics. Methods We measured physical (volume, mass, coat hardness and coat thickness of seeds) and chemical (crude fat, soluble protein, sugar, gibberellins [GA] and abscisic acid [ABA] of kernels) properties of T. sebifera seeds collected in 2017 from 12 introduced (United States) populations and 12 native (China) populations and tested their germination rates and timing in a greenhouse experiment in China. Furthermore, we conducted an extra experiment in the United States using seeds collected in 2016 and 2017 to compare the effects of study sites (China vs. United States) and seed collection time (2016 vs. 2017) on seed germination. Important Findings Seeds from the introduced range germinated faster than those from the native range. Physical and chemical measurements showed that seeds from the introduced range were larger, had higher GA concentrations and GA:ABA ratio, but lower crude fat concentrations compared to those from the native range. There were no significant differences in seed mass, coat hardness and coat thickness or kernel ABA, soluble protein or sugar concentrations between seeds from introduced vs. native ranges. Germination rates were correlated between United States and China greenhouses but germination rates for populations varied between collection years. Our results suggest that larger seeds and higher GA likely contribute to faster germination, potentially facilitating T. sebifera invasion in the introduced range.


2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 628-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan W. Hodges ◽  
Charles R. Hall ◽  
Marco A. Palma

Economic contributions of the green industry in each state of the United States were estimated for 2007–08 using regional economic multipliers, together with information on horticulture product sales, employment, and payroll reported by the U.S. Economic Census and a nursery industry survey. Total sales revenues for all sectors were $176.11 billion, direct output was $117.40 billion, and total output impacts, including indirect and induced regional economic multiplier effects of nonlocal output, were $175.26 billion. The total value added impact was $107.16 billion, including employee compensation, proprietor (business owner) income, other property income, and indirect business taxes paid to state/local and federal governments. The industry had direct employment of 1.20 million full-time and part-time jobs and total employment impacts of 1.95 million jobs in the broader economy. The largest individual industry sectors in terms of employment and value added impacts were Landscaping services (1,075,343 jobs, $50.3 billion), Nursery and greenhouse production (436,462 jobs, $27.1 billion), and Building materials and garden equipment and supplies stores (190,839 jobs, $9.7 billion). The top 10 individual states in terms of employment contributions were California (257,885 jobs), Florida (188,437 jobs), Texas (82,113 jobs), North Carolina (81,113 jobs), Ohio (79,707 jobs), Pennsylvania (75,604 jobs), New Jersey (67,993 jobs), Illinois (67,382 jobs), Georgia (66,042 jobs), and Virginia (58,677 jobs). The total value added of the U.S. green industry represented 0.76% of U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2007, and up to 1.60% of GDP in individual states. On the basis of a similar previous study for 2002 (Hall et al., 2006), total sales of horticultural products and services in 2007–08 increased by 3.5%, and total output impacts increased by 29.2%, or an average annual rate of 5.8% in inflation-adjusted terms.


Author(s):  
Albert E. Mayfield ◽  
Steven J. Seybold ◽  
Wendell R. Haag ◽  
M. Tracy Johnson ◽  
Becky K. Kerns ◽  
...  

AbstractThe introduction, establishment, and spread of invasive species in terrestrial and aquatic environments is widely recognized as one of the most serious threats to the health, sustainability, and productivity of native ecosystems (Holmes et al. 2009; Mack et al. 2000; Pyšek et al. 2012; USDA Forest Service 2013). In the United States, invasive species are the second leading cause of native species endangerment and extinction, and their costs to society have been estimated at $120 billion annually (Crowl et al. 2008; Pimentel et al. 2000, 2005). These costs include lost production and revenue from agricultural and forest products, compromised use of waterways and terrestrial habitats, harm to human and animal health, reduced property values and recreational opportunities, and diverse costs associated with managing (e.g., monitoring, preventing, controlling, and regulating) invasive species (Aukema et al. 2011; Pimentel et al. 2005). The national significance of these economic, ecological, and social impacts in the United States has prompted various actions by both legislative and executive branches of the Federal Government (e.g., the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990; the Noxious Weed Control and Eradication Act of 2002; Executive Order 13112 of 1999, amended in 2016).


EDIS ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 2006 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamba Gyeltshen ◽  
Amanda Hodges

The twobanded Japanese weevil, Pseudocneorhinus bifasciatus (Roelofs), first collected in the United States in 1914 near Philadelphia, was most likely introduced with infested nursery stock from Japan (Wheeler and Boyd 2005). With a host range of over 100 plant species, the twobanded Japanese weevil is recognized in the northeastern and midwestern United States as an important pest of landscape plantings (Wheeler and Boyd 2005). Although not a pest of major concern yet in the southeastern states, it is likely to extend its range due to movement of nursery stock. In July 2005, two specimens of the twobanded Japanese weevil were collected at Chipley, Florida, which is in Washington county (Thomas 2005). This document is EENY-361 (IN646), one of a series of the Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date December 2005. EENY361/IN646: Twobanded Japanese Weevil, Pseudocneorhinus bifasciatus Roelofs (Insecta: Coleoptera: Curculionidae) (ufl.edu)


Plant Disease ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 88 (9) ◽  
pp. 1044-1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Scandiani ◽  
D. Ruberti ◽  
K. O'Donnell ◽  
T. Aoki ◽  
R. Pioli ◽  
...  

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean was detected initially in Argentina during 1991-1992 in the Pampas Region and 1992-1993 in the Northwest Region. The first report of the fulfillment of Koch's postulates of SDS caused by Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines in Argentina was published in 2003 (3). Subsequently, analyses have shown that F. solani f. sp. glycines represents several morphologically and phylogenetically distinct species, including F. tucumaniae in Argentina and F. virguliforme in the United States (1). Isolations were made from plants that exhibited typical SDS symptoms (interveinal foliar chlorosis and necrosis leading to defoliation of the leaflets but not the petioles) from fields in Santa Fe and Buenos Aires provinces in 2001, 2002, and 2003. To determine which species are responsible for SDS in Argentina, cultures of eight slow growing isolates that developed bluish pigmentation and produced abundant macroconidia in sporodochia on potato dextrose agar were subjected to morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses and pathogenicity tests. Morphological analyses demonstrated that three of the isolates were F. virguliforme and five were F. tucumaniae. Isolates of F. tucumaniae produced long and narrow sporodochial conidia while F. virguliforme produced diagnostic comma-shaped conidia. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences from multiple loci confirmed morphology-based identifications and showed that the soybean SDS pathogen in the United States, F. virguliforme, was also present in Argentina. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. virguliforme in Argentina and of this pathogen outside the United States. Five isolates of F. tucumaniae and three isolates of F. virguliforme were used for pathogenicity tests. F. virguliforme isolate 171 provided by J. Rupe (University of Arkansas, Fayetteville) was used as a positive control. Soybean cultivars Ripley, RA 702, Pioneer 9492RR, Spencer, and A-6445RG were inoculated with each of the isolates tested in a greenhouse assay using soil infestation and toothpick methods (2). All eight isolates produced typical foliar SDS symptoms 15 to 25 days after inoculation. Severity of foliar symptoms averaged 3.3 for F. virguliforme, 2.6 for F. tucumaniae, and 3.3 for the positive control using a disease severity scale in which 1 = no symptoms and 5 = severely infected or dead plants. Under these conditions, F. virguliforme appeared to be more virulent than F tucumaniae. Noninoculated plants remained symptomless. Koch's postulates were confirmed with soybean cultivars RA 702 and A6445RG. Isolates recovered from symptomatic plants inoculated by the soil infestation and toothpick methods were identical to those used to inoculate the plant. Strains were recovered at frequencies of 100 and 60% from plants inoculated by the toothpick and soil infestation methods, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the fulfillment of Koch's postulates for F. tucumaniae and F. virguliforme in Argentina. References: (1) T. Aoki et al. Mycologia 95:660, 2003. (2) K. W. Roy et al. Plant Dis. 81:1100, 1997 (3) M. Scandiani et al. Plant Dis. 87:447, 2003.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-79
Author(s):  
Charles R. Hall ◽  
Alan W. Hodges ◽  
Hayk Khachatryan ◽  
Marco A. Palma

Abstract The economic contributions of the green industry in the United States were estimated for 2018 using information on industry employment and wages, and economic multipliers from a U.S. IMPLAN economic model. Direct industry output for all sectors was estimated at $159.57 billion (B), and total output contributions, including indirect and induced regional economic multiplier effects of export sales, were $348.08 B. The total value added contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was $190.98 B, including labor income contributions of $121.55 B, other property income contributions of $16.01 B and business taxes paid to local, state and federal governments of $25.84 B. The industry had direct employment of 1,599,662 fulltime and part-time individuals, and total employment contributions of 2,315,357 jobs in the broader economy. The largest individual industry sectors in terms of employment and GDP contributions were landscaping and horticultural services (1,460,669 jobs, $221.89 B), greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production (217,574 jobs, $28.69 B), and lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores (292,614 jobs, $43.80 B). The top ten states in terms of employment contributions were California (264,913 jobs), Florida (203,482), Texas (161,151), Ohio (90,406), Pennsylvania (90,075), New York (90,266), Illinois (87,595), North Carolina (78,766), Michigan (77,719), and Georgia (66,527). Since 2013, green industry contributions in 2018 increased by 16.2% for employment and 17.3% for GDP in inflation-adjusted terms. Growth in the industry was highest for wholesale and retail trade, while production and manufacturing declined. Although the green industry has grown slowly in recent years, it remains an important contributor to national, state and local economies. Index words: Sales, industry output, employment, value added, Gross Domestic Product, production, manufacturing, landscaping services, wholesale, retail, lawn and garden product line.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 90-90
Author(s):  
Thomas H Terrill ◽  
Breyanna Morning ◽  
Erica Courson ◽  
Bradley Morris ◽  
Harley Naumann ◽  
...  

Abstract Interest in the condensed tannin-containing legume sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) as a nutraceutical (bioactive) forage for livestock has been increasing in the United States but other Lespedeza species have not been adequately evaluated. A study was completed to determine the nutritional and bioactivity potential of Lespedeza species obtained from the USDA Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit in Griffin, GA. Accessions from 15 Lespedeza species were planted in small plots at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, GA. After establishment, forage was harvested, freeze-dried, ground and analyzed for neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), total phenolics (TP), and protein precipitable phenolics (PPP). Species differences were significant (P < 0.01) for all parameters measured. Lespedeza cuneata accessions, including “AUGrazer,” the cultivar most commonly used as an anti-parasitic crop in the United States had NDF, ADF, and IVTD values of 35.7±0.4%, 26.8±0.4%, and 74.3±1.2%, while L. virginica, a native species, had 34.9±3.0%, 26.0±2.5%, and 74.9±4.2%, respectively. The L. cuneata accessions averaged 179.6±4.3 and 133.6±3.5 mg/g of forage material for TP and PPP, while L. virginica averaged 564.2±24.6 and 306.5±19.9 mg/g, respectively. Other species varied from 30.5±3.0 to 47.4±4.2% NDF, 22.9±1.6 to 36.4±3.6% ADF, 55.2±5.9 to 81.6±3.4% IVTD, and 107.7±17.4 to 283.5±34.7 and 55.2±14.0 to 139.4±28.1 mg/g of forage for TP and PPP, respectively. Based upon these results, Lespedeza species tested in this study, particularly L. virginica, have potential as nutraceutical forages for livestock production systems. As L. cuneata accessions established and grew much better than other Lespedeza species in this study, agronomic testing of this germplasm collection in other environments is warranted. In addition, determining potential anti-parasitic properties of these species using in vitro and in vivo testing would be beneficial.


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