scholarly journals A life sentence or parole conditional release approval of biological control agents

2006 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
pp. 281-284
Author(s):  
S.A. Whiteman ◽  
B.I.P. Barratt ◽  
G.S. Ridley
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Hazardous Substances ◽  
Conditional Release ◽  
Life Sentence ◽  
Sitona Lepidus ◽  
Clover Root ◽  
Microctonus Aethiopoides

Changes made in 2003 to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996 introduced a new approval type called conditional release Previously the only option was for full release approval under which the organism was no longer subject to HSNO Act regulation Applicants seeking approval for conditional release of a biological control agent have expressed concern that a resulting approval may have onerous and costly controls required for risk mitigation In 2005 Microctonus aethiopoides a biological control agent of Sitona lepidus (clover root weevil) became the first organism to be granted a conditional release approval This paper discusses the controls on that approval and other possible options for controls that could be considered in the future

scholarly journals Importation to New Zealand quarantine of a candidate biological control agent of clover root weevil

2001 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 147-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.L. Goldson ◽  
C. Phillips ◽  
M.M. McNeill ◽  
J.R Proffitt ◽  
R.P. Cane
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Biological Control ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Sitona Lepidus ◽  
Clover Root ◽  
Microctonus Aethiopoides

Several candidate biological control agents of Sitona lepidus have been identified since a search commenced in 1997 Interestingly Microctonus aethiopoides from Europe is a much more effective parasitoid of S lepidus than the M aethiopoides ecotype already established in New Zealand To assess further the suitability of the European M aethiopoides for biological control of S lepidus 1599 infected S lepidus were shipped to New Zealand quarantine during late 2000 These yielded 267 parasitoid pupae from which 204 adult parasitoids were reared This material was obtained from a wide geographical range in Europe and has been used to establish cultures in New Zealand quarantine based on genetic material from France England Norway Finland Romania Ireland Scotland Italy and Wales This contribution presents an overview of the work associated with the importation of the parasitoids and the effort now being made to maintain genetic diversity Planned research is also discussed

scholarly journals Clover root weevil in the South Island detection response and current distribution

2007 ◽  
Vol 60 ◽  
pp. 209-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.B. Phillips ◽  
M.R. McNeill ◽  
S. Hardwick ◽  
C.J. Vink ◽  
J.M. Kean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
New South ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
The South ◽  
The North ◽  
Sitona Lepidus ◽  
Clover Root ◽  
Detection Response ◽  
Microctonus Aethiopoides ◽  
Intensive Sampling

Sitona lepidus had spread throughout the North Island of New Zealand by 2005 and was first detected in the South Island in January 2006 when one individual was found at Harewood Christchurch Intensive sampling during February 2006 recovered only two additional specimens Several specimens were recovered from a separate Christchurch location in August 2006 Localised S lepidus populations were discovered near Richmond Nelson in April 2006 and in Rai Valley in May 2006 A website established in May 2006 to provide information about S lepidus was visited a mean of 135 times per month but it was never used to report possible new South Island infestations A biological control agent Microctonus aethiopoides was released at Richmond and Rai Valley between August 2006 and March 2007 By May 2007 it was parasitising from 4 to 14 of S lepidus adults which indicates it is likely to become permanently established

Evaluating the establishment success of Microctonus aethiopoides (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid of the alfalfa weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), across the northern Great Plains of North America

2018 ◽  
Vol 150 (2) ◽  
pp. 274-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatyana A. Rand ◽  
Makenzie Pellissier ◽  
Randa Jabbour ◽  
Jonathan G. Lundgren ◽  
Debra K. Waters
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Alfalfa Weevil ◽  
Hypera Postica ◽  
Microctonus Aethiopoides

AbstractThe alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica (Gyllenhal); Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a destructive pest of alfalfa (Medicago sativa Linnaeus; Fabaceae) worldwide. The biological control parasitoid, Microctonus aethiopoides Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), was successfully introduced, and considered highly effective, in the eastern and mid-western United States of America. Redistribution efforts carried out throughout the 1980s reported initial establishment in the northern Great Plains, however follow-up studies to assess long-term persistence and efficacy are lacking. We resurveyed the counties in which M. aethiopoides had been initially recovered following redistribution in Montana (Flathead and Petroleum counties), Wyoming (Platte County), and South Dakota (Brookings County), to gauge whether this species has become permanently established and, if so, assess levels of parasitism in the field. We collected adult weevils from five fields in each county, and reared them in the laboratory to assess parasitism. Despite rearing more than 1000 weevils, no parasitoids were recovered from any of the locations sampled in our study, suggesting a widespread failure of M. aethiopoides to persist in the region. Thus, M. aethiopoides does not currently appear to be an important biological control agent of alfalfa weevil in the northern Great Plains. More intensive surveys will be required to assess the extent of the distributional limits of this species throughout the region.

scholarly journals Negative effects of strain hybridisation on the biocontrol agent Microctonus aethiopoides

2003 ◽  
Vol 56 ◽  
pp. 138-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.L. Goldson ◽  
M.R. McNeill ◽  
J.R. Proffitt
Keyword(s):  
Control Agent ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Parasitoid Species ◽  
Highly Active ◽  
European Strain ◽  
Pastoral Production ◽  
Sitona Lepidus ◽  
Clover Root ◽  
Microctonus Aethiopoides ◽  
The Impact

Clover root weevil Sitona lepidus remains a threat to New Zealands whiteclover based pastoral production system Unfortunately the New Zealandestablished strain of M aethiopoides (originally from Morocco) active against Sitona discoideus has been found to have no potential as a control agent against S lepidus It was therefore unexpected that a European strain of M aethiopoides was found to be highly active against the weevil This contribution examined the effect of Moroccan x European strain crosses on the value of M aethiopoides as a control agent of S discoideus and S lepidus It was found that such strain hybridisation led to significant reductions in the impact of this parasitoid species as a control agent against either S lepidus or S discoideus The widespread implications of this finding for biological control are discussed

scholarly journals Rationale for release of the Irish strain of Microctonus aethiopoides for biocontrol of clover root weevil

2006 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
pp. 285-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.J. Gerard ◽  
M.R. McNeill ◽  
B.I.P. Barratt ◽  
S.A. Whiteman
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Host Range ◽  
Biocontrol Agent ◽  
Hazardous Substances ◽  
Sitona Lepidus ◽  
Clover Root ◽  
Microctonus Aethiopoides ◽  
Poor Efficacy

A European biotype of Microctonus aethiopoides was identified as the best candidate biocontrol agent for Sitona lepidus a serious New Zealand pasture pest A Moroccan biotype was already present throughout the country and hence there was no requirement to obtain Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act approval to release new biotypes However as research had shown mating between the two biotypes produced hybrids with poor efficacy against target hosts and that the Moroccan biotype attacked several native weevil genera serious reservations were held about introducing the European biotype Concerns were overcome with the identification of a parthenogenetic strain of European M aethiopoides from Ireland which has little risk of hybridisation and a narrower host range than the Moroccan biotype Following regulation of M aethiopoides as a risk species this strain was considered to be a new organism Approval was sought and gained under the HSNO Act to release the strain

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