Title: Host Specificity ofHeteroperreyia hubrichiMalaise (Hymenoptera: Pergidae), a Potential Biological Control Agent of Brazilian Peppertree (Schinus terebinthifoliusRaddi)
Abstract: The pergid sawflyHeteroperreyia hubrichifrom Brazil was screened under quarantine to determine its safety as a biological control agent of the exotic invader Brazilian peppertree,Schinus terebinthifolius(Anacardiaceae). No-choice host-specificity tests were conducted using 36 plant species in 15 families. Neonate larvae of the sawfly were exposed to the plants in a quarantine facility and in field trials in Florida and Brazil, respectively. The neonate larvae fed and completed their development to the adult stage only on Brazilian peppertree and cashewAnacardium occidentaleL. Although the sawfly larvae were able to feed and reach the pupal stage on cashew in Brazil, the adult female was not able to oviposit on this plant and oviposited only on Brazilian peppertree. The first instars fed slightly, consuming less than 5% (<1 cm2) of the foliage on 3 plant species (mango,Mangifera indicaL.; poison oak,Toxicodendron toxicarium(Salisb.) Gillis; Surinam cherry,Eugenia unifloraL) and moderately between 5 to 10% (1–2 cm2) on 4 species (California peppertree,Schinus molleL.; Chinese pistachio,Pistacia chinensisBunge; poison sumac,Toxicodendron vernix(L.) Kuntze; winged sumac,Rhus copallinaL). This injury was made by 10 larvae, so individual feeding was not significant and all larvae died without reaching the pupal stage. These results indicate thatH. hubrichiis highly specific to the Brazilian peppertree. A request for the release of this insect in Florida, submitted in October 1996, was approved by the Technical Advisory Group on the Introduction of Biological Control Agents of Weeds (TAG) and is currently under a risk assessment by the USDA-APHIS.
Publication Year: 1999
Publication Date: 1999-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 31
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