Ambrosia artemisiifolia control in agricultural areas: effect of grassland seeding and herbivory by the exotic leaf beetle Ophraella communa

Ambrosiaartemisiifolia(common ragweed) is an invasive species native to North America and was accidentally introduced to Europe in the 19thcentury. Widespread in disturbed habitats, it is a major weed in spring-sown crops and it causes serious allergic rhinitis and asthma due to its allergenic pollen. The aim of this research was to analyse the effects of both competitive vegetation and herbivory byOphraellacommunato controlA.artemisiifoliain an agricultural area of north-western Italy. Hayseed mixtures, both over-seeded over the resident plant community or after ploughing, when seeded before the winter season, were able to suppress the establishment ofA.artemisiifoliaas well as to reduce its growth in terms of plant height and inflorescence size. Defoliation ofA.artemisiifoliabyO.communaat the end of the growing season was conspicuous but most of the plants still produced flowers and seeds. However, significantO.communaattack was recorded for reproductive structures. As for non-target species,O.communawas mainly recorded on Asteraceae, with low density and low degree of damage. Reduction of inflorescence size due to competitive vegetation and damage to male flowers byO.communamay diminish the amount of available pollen. The results of this study may be useful for the implementation of management measures to controlA.artemisiifoliain agricultural areas using mixtures of native species.

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Control efficiency of leaf beetle,Ophraella communa, on the invasive common ragweed,Ambrosia artemisiifolia, at different growing stages

Biocontrol Science and Technology ◽

10.1080/09583157.2011.603823 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 21 (9) ◽

pp. 1049-1063 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Jian-Ying Guo ◽

Zhong-Shi Zhou ◽

Xing-Wen Zheng ◽

Hong-Song Chen ◽

Fang-Hao Wan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leaf Beetle ◽

Ambrosia Artemisiifolia ◽

Common Ragweed ◽

Control Efficiency ◽

Ophraella Communa

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Physiological and morphological responses of invasiveAmbrosia artemisiifolia(common ragweed) to different irradiances

Botany ◽

10.1139/b2012-096 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 90 (12) ◽

pp. 1284-1294 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Zhong Qin ◽

Dan Juan Mao ◽

Guo Ming Quan ◽

Jia-en Zhang ◽

Jun Fang Xie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leaf Area ◽

Native Species ◽

Southern China ◽

High Growth ◽

Ambrosia Artemisiifolia ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Plant Structure ◽

Morphological Adaptations ◽

Net Assimilation ◽

Disturbed Habitats

Invasion by the exotic herb Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. has become a serious agricultural and environmental problem and of increasing research interest as the species continues its southward spread into subtropical regions of China. To better understand the possible physiological and morphological adaptations of A. artemisiifolia in this region, we conducted a greenhouse experiment using seedlings of A. artemisiifolia and a comparative native species, Urena lobata L. (Caesar’s weed), which is an erect annual shrub in the Malvaceae that commonly co-occurs with A. artemisiifolia in open, disturbed habitats in southern China. Seedlings of both plants were grown under four irradiance regimes (10%, 30%, 55%, and 100% irradiance) from 14 May to 13 July 2010. Ambrosia artemisiifolia showed significantly higher total biomass, total leaf area, specific leaf area, relative growth rate, and net assimilation rate but lower leaf mass fraction than U. lobata at the 30%–100% irradiance levels. With decreasing irradiance, A. artemisiifolia significantly increased biomass allocation to stems and decreased allocation to roots. Meanwhile, A. artemisiifolia exhibited higher light-saturated photosynthetic rates and light saturation points with wide variances except at the 10% irradiance treatment. These findings suggest that A. artemisiifolia has generally higher irradiance plasticity for traits pertaining to biomass partitioning, growth, and plant structure than U. lobata. The ability of A. artemisiifolia to tolerate high shade conditions while maintaining high growth rates at elevated irradiance levels may afford it a competitive advantage and may help explain its recent colonization and spread in southern China.

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First record of Ophraella communa in Hungary (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Folia Entomologica Hungarica ◽

10.17112/foliaenthung.2020.81.73 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 81 ◽

pp. 73-79

Author(s):

Dávid Horváth ◽

Márk Lukátsi

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Host Plant ◽

Plant Protection ◽

First Record ◽

Leaf Beetle ◽

Ambrosia Artemisiifolia ◽

Main Host ◽

Potential Problems ◽

Ophraella Communa ◽

First Time

Ophraella communa LeSage, 1986, a leaf beetle native to North America, is recorded for the first time from Hungary. Several specimens were found on a degraded meadow in the outskirts of Budapest. Its importance in suppressing its main host plant, common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.), is shortly discussed, as well as the potential problems it can cause in plant protection. With 5 figures.

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Investigating the Current and Future Co-Occurrence of Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Ophraella communa in Europe through Ecological Modelling and Remote Sensing Data Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16183416 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (18) ◽

pp. 3416 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Mattia Iannella ◽

Walter De Simone ◽

Paola D’Alessandro ◽

Giulia Console ◽

Maurizio Biondi

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Invasive Plant ◽

Remote Sensing Data ◽

Leaf Beetle ◽

Ambrosia Artemisiifolia ◽

Ecological Modelling ◽

Niche Modelling ◽

Sensing Data ◽

Starting Point ◽

Ophraella Communa

The common ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia has spread throughout Europe since the 1800s, infesting croplands and causing severe allergic reactions. Recently, the ragweed leaf beetle Ophraella communa was found in Italy and Switzerland; considering that it feeds primarily on A. artemisiifolia in its invaded ranges, some projects started biological control of this invasive plant through the adventive beetle. In this context of a ‘double’ invasion, we assessed the influence of climate change on the spread of these alien species through ecological niche modelling. Considering that A. artemisiifolia mainly lives in agricultural and urbanized areas, we refined the models using satellite remote-sensing data; we also assessed the co-occurrence of the two species in these patches. A. artemisiifolia is predicted to expand more than O. communa in the future, with the medium and high classes of suitability of the former increasing more than the latter, resulting in lower efficacy for O. communa to potentially control A. artemisiifolia in agricultural and urbanized patches. Although a future assessment was performed through the 2018 land-cover data, the predictions we propose are intended to be a starting point for future assessments, considering that the possibility of a shrinkage of target patches is unlikely to occur.

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Review of the biology and ecology of a ragweed leaf beetle, Ophraella communa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), which is a biological control agent of an invasive common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Asterales: Asteraceae)

Biocontrol Science and Technology ◽

10.1080/09583157.2018.1540032 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 185-200 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hong Geun Kim ◽

Doo-Hyung Lee

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Leaf Beetle ◽

Control Agent ◽

Ambrosia Artemisiifolia ◽

Common Ragweed ◽

Ophraella Communa

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Mitochondrial DNA Polymorphism in the Leaf Beetle Ophraella communa, an Introduced Biocontrol Agent of the Common Ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Asteraceae) Invading East Asia

Entomological News ◽

10.3157/021.129.0306 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 129 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Libin Ma ◽

Hongran Li ◽

Baoping Li ◽

Ling Meng

Keyword(s):

Mitochondrial Dna ◽

East Asia ◽

Dna Polymorphism ◽

Biocontrol Agent ◽

Leaf Beetle ◽

Ambrosia Artemisiifolia ◽

Common Ragweed ◽

Mitochondrial Dna Polymorphism ◽

Ophraella Communa ◽

The Common

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Spread of the ragweed leaf beetle, Ophraella communa LeSage, 1986 (Coleoptera Chrysomelidae), in Piedmont Region (northwestern Italy)

Bollettino della Società Entomologica Italiana ◽

10.4081/bollettinosei.2014.17 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 17-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Giovanni Bosio ◽

Viola Massobrio ◽

Catarina Chersi ◽

Giovanni Scavarda ◽

Shawn Clark

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Leaf Beetle ◽

Ambrosia Artemisiifolia ◽

Native Range ◽

Biological Cycle ◽

Field Surveys ◽

Common Ragweed ◽

Ophraella Communa ◽

The 19Th Century ◽

Piedmont Region

Common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., one of the most dangerous invasive species for its high allergenic pollen production, has been spreading in Europe since the 19th century but has not until now recruited any effective natural enemy. In its native range, North america, many insects and fungi are recorded feeding or developing on this weed, reducing common ragweed impact on human health and habitats. Some of these organisms, specific or oligophagous on A. artemisiifolia, are considered promising agents for the biological control of this weed, and in some cases they have already been introduced in other continents. Among these species, the leaf beetle Ophraella communa LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) was found at the beginning of august 2013 attacking common ragweed near a nursery in Galliate (Novara province - piedmont Region). Field surveys were carried out from august to November in various piedmont counties to document the spread of this recently introduced galerucine species. Data are reported regarding the leaf beetle’s morphology, biological cycle, spread, hosts and natural enemies in the new range. Prospects for the biological control of common ragweed in Europe are also discussed.

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