Evaluation of Spanish Arundo scaleRhizaspidiotus donacis(Hemiptera; Diaspididae) survival and fecundity on three new world genotypes ofArundo donax(Poaceae; Arundinoideae)

Abstract

2013) Evaluation of Spanish Arundo scale Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Hemiptera; Diaspididae) survival and fecundity on three new world genotypes ofA pre-release evaluation of survival and fecundity of the arundo scale, Rhizaspidiotus donacis, was conducted on three invasive genotypes of the riparian weed, Arundo donax. The three A. donax genotypes were collected from Laredo, Austin and Balmorhea, TX, which represented the majority of the genotypic diversity found in Texas watersheds. Although R. donacis developed on all three genotypes of the plant, the Austin A. donax genotype, followed by the Laredo genotype, were the most suitable in terms of the size of first-generation immature and adult scale populations that developed after crawler release. Both the Laredo and Austin genotypes of A. donax are likely to be of Spanish origin and are close genetic matches with scale's original host plant genotype in Alicante, Spain. In comparison, survival was lowest on the phylogenetically distant genotype of A. donax from Balmorhea, TX. Although the population size of settled, immature second-generation scales varied in a manner similar to that of the first generation, the fecundity of isolated first-generation females was not significantly different across the three plant genotypes, suggesting that R. donacis is not a genotype specialist in terms of nutrient assimilation for reproduction. Rather, differences in genotype suitability affect rates of success of crawler settling. These results indicate that selection of scale genotype from the native range may have a moderate influence on the success of R. donacis and ultimately the biological control programme.

Biogeography of a plant invasion: plant–herbivore interactions

“…and H. pruni that are derived from the native range of the invasive genotypes, are more abundant (this study) and perform better on the native than invasive genotypes (Lambert and Casagrande 2007, Lambert et al 2007; W. P. Allen, G. P. Bhattarai, L. A. Meyerson, and J. T. Cronin, unpublished data ; for a possible exception, see Saltonstall et al 2014). In general, there are very few examples in the literature where biological control agents exhibit sufficient specificity at the subspecies level (but see Goolsby et al 2013).…”

Biology of an Adventive Population of the Armored Scale Rhizaspidiotus donacis, a Biological Control Agent of Arundo donax in California

“…Adult R. donacis specimens were collected in Europe between 2007 and 2010 as part of the Ar. donax biological control program [ 34 , 35 ]. The collection sites were Villafranqueza, Las Cañas, Alcoy, La Puebla de Cazalla, Velez de Benaudalla, La Bernadilla, Ebro River, Onda, Coloma in Spain; Vingrau, Village Catalan, and Rivesaltes in France; Donna Lucata and Marina di Noto in Italy; and, Lefkanti, Nea Artaki, Peristeri, and Pachia Ammos in Greece ( Figure 2 ).…”