Current levels of suppression of waterhyacinth in Florida USA by classical biological control agents

Tipping, Philip W.; Martin, Melissa R.; Pokorny, Eileen; Nimmo, Kayla R.; Fitzgerald, Danyelle; Dray, F. Allen; Center, Ted D.

doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2014.01.008

Cited by 32 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 11 publications

(13 reference statements)

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“…In a study on vegetation structure, more An. quadrimaculatus larvae were associated with lengths of downed plant stems (Walker et al 1988), although no specific plants have been associated with attraction to an oviposition site. Rejmánkova et al (1992) characterized larval habitats of Anopheles albimanus Weideman in Mexico and found that habitats dominated by water hyacinth were moderately productive for larvae.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral responses of gravidCulex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti, andAnopheles quadrimaculatusmosquitoes to aquatic macrophyte volatiles

Turnipseed

Moran

Allan

2018

Journal of Vector Ecology

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Mosquitoes use many cues to assess whether a habitat is conducive for reproduction, possibly including the presence of stimuli from aquatic macrophytes. The effect of water infusions of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), water lettuce (Pista stratioles), parrotfeather (Myriophyllum aquaticum), and water pennywort (Hydrocotyle umbellata) on mosquito oviposition and attraction was investigated. Gravid Culex quinquefasciatus deposited significantly more egg rafts in water hyacinth, water lettuce, or Bermuda hay (positive control) infusions compared to water, while water pennywort and parrotfeather infusions did not differ from water. In‐flight attraction responses of Cx. quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti, and Anopheles quadrimaculatus were evaluated. The strongest attraction of gravid Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. aegypti occurred in the presence of volatiles from infusions of water hyacinth and water lettuce, which were equal in attractiveness to hay infusion. Water pennywort and parrotfeather infusions were not attractive. Gravid An. quadrimaculatus were not attracted to aquatic plant volatiles. The results suggest that water hyacinth and water lettuce emit volatile chemicals that attract two of three mosquito species tested and stimulate oviposition by Cx. quinquefasciatus, demonstrating that the level of attraction of aquatic plant volatiles varies among species in ways that may have relevance to bait‐based detection and control methods.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral responses of gravidCulex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti, andAnopheles quadrimaculatusmosquitoes to aquatic macrophyte volatiles

Turnipseed

Moran

Allan

2018

Journal of Vector Ecology

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“…The media campaign against Harmonia axyridis damaged the image of classical biological control (Orlinski, 2016a) but this method of pest control remains the most environmentally friendly method of plant protection. The Workshop on the Evaluation and Regulation of the use of Biological Control Agents held in Budapest (reported by Ward in 239-242) showed some of the obstacles to the use of classical biological control, at least in European Union (EU) countries, during last 10 years; biological control however, continues to be widely used in other regions of the world, for example North America (Corn et al, 2006;M€ uller-Sch€ arer & Schaffner, 2008;Duan et al, 2012;Tipping et al, 2014; and many others). Some EU countries appear to completely prohibit the use of non-indigenous BCAs in practice without technical justification, while biological control continues to be developed at the research level.…”

Section: Some Examples Of Programmes Of Using Biological Control Agentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Work of the EPPO/IOBC Panel on biological control agents

Orlinski

2016

EPPO Bulletin

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EPPO started work on biological control agents (BCAs) in 1996, and the joint EPPO/IOBC Panel was established in 1997. The history of the Panel is provided and EPPO Standards developed by the Panel are described. These Standards are: PM 6/1 ‘First import of exotic biological control agents for research under contained conditions’, PM 6/2 ‘Import and release of non‐indigenous biological control agents’ and PM 6/3 ‘List of biological control agents widely used in the EPPO region’. The last of these has been annually updated as a ‘Positive List’ of BCAs for which EPPO recommends its member countries to use a simplified procedure for import and releases. EPPO activities in biological control have been focused on the safety aspects of the introduction of invertebrate BCAs. However, the scope of EPPO's work in this area is now under review, and a number of issues are being considered by the Working Party on Phytosanitary Regulations. These include the remit of the Panel and Standards in relation to micro‐organisms, the evaluation of potential environmental benefits as well as potential risks from releases and the potential for use of BCAs against regulated pests and those recommended for regulation.

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“…Classical biological control programs in the U.S. utilizing monophagous insect herbivores have developed and deployed four species to increase suppression of this plant (Perkins, 1973;Center and Durden, 1981;Tipping et al, 2014b). The most numerous agent in Florida is Neochetina eichhorniae Warner (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), which is known to reduce the growth and reproduction of E. crassipes, but not significantly reduce coverage (Tipping et al, 2014a). It is difficult for biological control agents to build up to damaging densities because frequent herbicide applications can cause large fluctuations in E. crassipes populations over wide areas (Center et al, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is difficult for biological control agents to build up to damaging densities because frequent herbicide applications can cause large fluctuations in E. crassipes populations over wide areas (Center et al, 1999). Despite these challenges, herbivory by biocontrol agents increases the effectiveness of herbicide treatments by allowing for reduced dosages without any loss of efficacy, plus retarding the rate of regrowth following applications and has thereby reduced the impact of this plant in Florida (Center et al, 1999;Gettys et al, 2014b;Tipping et al, 2014a;Tipping et al, 2017). While herbicide-managed areas tend to have less E. crassipes coverage, areas where the biological control agent populations are unperturbed by the constant boom and bust cycling of E. crassipes contain smaller plants that are physiologically stressed by the insects (Center et al, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Generation time is ∼25 days outdoors in southern Florida. This species is multivoltine and multiple overlapping generations are observed in the laboratory and at established sites in Florida (Tipping et al, 2014a). While M. scutellaris can be very damaging to E. crassipes (Tipping et al, 2011;Sosa et al, 2007), to date it also has not substantially reduced surface coverage of the plant, which is the primary decision metric used by land managers (Tipping et al, 2014a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Small-scale dispersal of a biological control agent – Implications for more effective releases

et al. 2019

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Eichhornia crassipes (Martius) Solms Laubach (Liliales: Pontederiaceae) was introduced to Florida in the 1880s as an ornamental and it once infested thousands of square kilometers across the state. Megamelus scutellaris Berg (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) was developed as a classical biological control agent for this plant primarily because its free-living life stages allow it to better integrate with herbicides, which are currently used as the main control method for E. crassipes in Florida. Mass rearing and distribution programs can accelerate the benefits of biological control by augmenting natural dispersal, but an optimal release strategy must consider the entire system including the agent, the target weed, and the habitat. The effectiveness of various release strategies was evaluated using a tank experiment where single and multiple releases of either adult M. scutellaris only or E. crassipes infested with M. scutellaris eggs were compared to control treatments. The post-release dispersal capability of brachypterous M. scutellaris was evaluated using a linear transect of E. crassipes. Two density release treatments were tested and emerging nymphs were used as a proxy for female dispersal distances. All release treatments resulted in successful M. scutellaris population establishment and levels of M. scutellaris were not significantly different among them. The dispersal experiment indicated that adult females oviposit near the release point before dispersing. While the release experiment indicated that all treatments were similar, the continually fluctuating populations of E. crassipes makes establishment of populations difficult in the field. By releasing both adults and infested plants, additional propagule pressure can be attained from a single release event which can counter the tendency of adult M. scutellaris to disperse rapidly following release.

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Current levels of suppression of waterhyacinth in Florida USA by classical biological control agents

Cited by 32 publications

References 11 publications

Behavioral responses of gravidCulex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti, andAnopheles quadrimaculatusmosquitoes to aquatic macrophyte volatiles

Behavioral responses of gravidCulex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti, andAnopheles quadrimaculatusmosquitoes to aquatic macrophyte volatiles

Work of the EPPO/IOBC Panel on biological control agents

Small-scale dispersal of a biological control agent – Implications for more effective releases

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