scholarly journals Cleopus japonicus releases and distribution of the buddleia biological control agent in New Zealand

2011 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
pp. 155-159
Author(s):  
M.C. Watson ◽  
T.M. Withers ◽  
M. Heaphy

The buddleia leaf weevil Cleopus japonicus was released in New Zealand by Scion in 2006 as a biological control agent for the weed Buddleja davidii One thousand C japonicus adults were released at each of five commercial forest sites in the North Island A further 33 releases of approximately 14910 C japonicus were made between 2006 and 2011 in the North and South Islands on both privately and publicallyowned land and sites of conservation importance The weevil is known to have established at all sites with the possible exception of one release made in 2007 Location data of C japonicus provided by local and regional councils DOC forest health officers and others have provided information on the spread of C japonicus These data show C japonicus has spread over 50 km from some release sites and is rapidly increasing in population density and distribution

2009 ◽  
Vol 62 ◽  
pp. 184-190
Author(s):  
M.C. Watson ◽  
T.M. Withers ◽  
R.L. Hill

The buddleia leaf weevil Cleopus japonicus was released in New Zealand in 2006 as a biological control agent for the weed Buddleja davidii A twophase openfield design was used to confirm laboratory host range and examine nontarget impacts in the field This was the first field trial undertaken in New Zealand and included six nontarget plant species Feeding and dispersal of the agent on the test species and B davidii were compared Cleopus japonicus strongly preferred B davidii Larvae were recorded on Verbascum virgatum and Scrophularia auriculata during the choice stage of the trial Killing the B davidii plants in the second phase resulted in adults feeding on the two exotic species V virgatum and S auriculata Minor exploratory feeding was recorded on the natives Hebe speciosa and Myoporum laetum These results confirm that laboratory tests conducted to assess the safety of this agent for release in New Zealand accurately predicted field host range


Author(s):  
T. V. Andrianova

Abstract A description is provided for Stagonospora atriplicis, a potential biological control agent of Atriplex and Chenopodium weeds. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution (Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Canada, USA, Colombia, Cyprus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, UK, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Romania, Sweden, Ukraine and Hawaii) and hosts (Allenrolfea occidentalis, Atriplex spp., Chenopodium spp. and Syzygium guineense).


2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 25 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Osterbauer ◽  
A. Trippe ◽  
K. French ◽  
T. Butler ◽  
M. C. Aime ◽  
...  

Phragmidium violaceum occurs on several species of Rubus, including R. armeniacus, R. fruticosus agg., and R. laciniatus, in Europe, South Africa, Iran, and Iraq, and has been introduced as a biological control agent for invasive blackberries in Australia, New Zealand, and Chile. To our knowledge, this is the first official report of P. violaceum infecting Himalaya and evergreen blackberries in North America. Accepted for publication 16 September 2005. Published 23 September 2005.


1999 ◽  
Vol 131 (4) ◽  
pp. 541-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.S. McClay ◽  
J.L. Littlefield ◽  
J. Kashefi

AbstractA European gall mite, Aceria malherbae Nuzzaci, was released and established in southern Alberta and Montana as a biological control agent for field bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis L. (Convolvulaceae). Populations of the mite survived for up to 4 years at some sites and caused slight to severe damage to the weed. The establishment of A. malherbae in these areas suggests that it could be established throughout the North American range of field bindweed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 258-262
Author(s):  
B. Smith ◽  
S.G. Casonato ◽  
A. Noble ◽  
G. Bourd?t

Californian thistle (Cirsium arvense) is a problematic weed particularly in permanent pastures The fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has potential as a bioherbicide to control this weed but its variable efficacy in historical field trials suggest that there are differences in susceptibility to S sclerotiorum within the species To test this hypothesis the responses of 32 New Zealand provenances of C arvense to a foliageapplied myceliumonbarley preparation of S sclerotiorum were compared under common conditions Significant differences between provenances were found supporting the hypothesis that there is variation within C arvense in New Zealand in its susceptibility to S sclerotiorum Further work will examine differences in the efficacy of fungal isolates against different C arvense provenances


2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-77
Author(s):  
Sonia Lee ◽  
Simon V. Fowler ◽  
Claudia Lange ◽  
Lindsay A. Smith ◽  
Alison M. Evans

Douglas-fir seed chalcid (DFSC) Megastigmus spermotrophus, a small (3 mm long) host-specific seed-predatory wasp, was accidentally introduced into New Zealand in the 1920s. Concern over DFSC reducing Douglas-fir seed production in New Zealand led to an attempt at biocontrol in 1955 with the release, but failed establishment, of the small (2.5 mm long) parasitoid wasp, Mesopolobus spermotrophus. We investigated why DFSC causes little destruction of Douglas-fir seed in New Zealand (usually <20%) despite the apparent absence of major natural enemies. Douglas-fir seed collections from 13 New Zealand sites yielded the seed predator (DFSC) but also potential parasitoids, which were identified using morphology and partial COI DNA sequencing. DFSC destroyed only 0.15% of Douglas-fir seed. All parasitoids were identified as the pteromalid wasp, Mes. spermotrophus, the host-specific biocontrol agent released in 1955. Total parasitism was 48.5%, but levels at some sites approached 90%, with some evidence of density-dependence. The discovery of the parasitoid Mes. spermotrophus could indicate that the biocontrol agent released in 1955 did establish after all. Alternatively, Mes. spermotrophus could have arrived accidentally in more recent importations of Douglas-fir seed. The high level of parasitism of DFSC by Mes. spermotrophus is consistent with DFSC being under successful biological control in New Zealand. Suppression of DFSC populations will benefit commercial Douglas-fir seed production in New Zealand, but it also represents the likely loss of a potential biological control agent for wilding Douglas-fir.


2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila J. Nicholson ◽  
Jackie E. Mahar ◽  
Tanja Strive ◽  
Tao Zheng ◽  
Edward C. Holmes ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The Czech v351 strain of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV1) is used in Australia and New Zealand as a biological control agent for rabbits, which are important and damaging introduced vertebrate pests in these countries. However, nonpathogenic rabbit caliciviruses (RCVs) can provide partial immunological cross-protection against lethal RHDV infection and thus interfere with effective rabbit biocontrol. Antibodies that cross-reacted against RHDV antigens were found in wild rabbits before the release of RHDV1 in New Zealand in 1997, suggesting that nonpathogenic RCVs were already present in New Zealand. The aim of this study was to confirm the presence of nonpathogenic RCV in New Zealand and describe its geographical distribution. RCV and RHDV antibody assays were used to screen serum samples from 350 wild rabbits from 14 locations in New Zealand. The serological survey indicated that both RCV and RHDV are widespread in New Zealand wild rabbits, with antibodies detected in 10 out of 14 and 12 out of 14 populations, respectively. Two closely related RCV strains were identified in the duodenal tissue from a New Zealand wild rabbit (RCV Gore-425A and RCV Gore-425B). Both variants are most closely related to Australian RCV strains, but with 88% nucleotide identity, they are genetically distinct. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the New Zealand RCV strains fall within the genetic diversity of the Australian RCV isolates, indicating a relatively recent movement of RCVs between Australia and New Zealand. IMPORTANCE Wild rabbits are important and damaging introduced vertebrate pests in Australia and New Zealand. Although RHDV1 is used as a biological control agent, some nonpathogenic RCVs can provide partial immunological cross-protection against lethal RHDV infection and thus interfere with its effectiveness for rabbit control. The presence of nonpathogenic RCVs in New Zealand wild rabbits has been long hypothesized, but earlier attempts to isolate a New Zealand RCV strain have been unsuccessful. Therefore, it is important to determine if such nonpathogenic viruses exist in New Zealand rabbits, especially considering the proposed introduction of new RHDV strains into New Zealand as biocontrols.


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