Feeding Preference of Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae) on Different Species

Abstract

<jats:p>Crapemyrtle bark scale (CMBS; Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae) is an exotic pest species that causes aesthetic and economic damage to crapemyrtles and poses potential threats to other horticultural crops in the United States. Although previous studies reported the infestation of CMBS on several alternative hosts across multiple families in Asia, its potential threats to other documented alternative hosts remain elusive and yet to be confirmed. In this study, feeding preference studies of CMBS were conducted on forty-nine plant species and cultivars in 2016 and 2019, in order to gain insight into the expansion of CMBS distribution in the United States, as well as other regions of the world. The infestations of CMBS were confirmed on apple (Malus domestica), Chaenomeles speciosa, Disopyros rhombifolia, Heimia salicifolia, Lagerstroemia ‘Spiced Plum’, M. angustifolia, and twelve out of thirty-five pomegranate cultivars. However, the levels of CMBS infestation on these test plant hosts in this study is very low compared to Lagerstroemia, and may not cause significant damage. No sign of CMBS infestation was observed on Rubus ‘Arapaho’, R. ‘Navaho’, R. idaeus ‘Dorman Red’, R. fruticosus, B. microphylla var. koreana × B. sempervirens, B. harlandii, or D. virginiana.</jats:p>

Confirmation of New Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae) Hosts (Spiraea and Callicarpa) through DNA Barcoding

“…The phylogeny of Rosaceae has revealed a closer relationship between Spiraeeae and Maleae (both under subfamily Amygdaloideae), whereas both Spiraeeae and Maleae are further away from Rubeae (subfamily Rosoideae) (Xiang et al, 2017). Interestingly, this phylogenetic relationship is relevant when comparing with our previous findings because CMBS infestations were found on species of tribe Maleae, including apple (Malus) and flowering quince (Chaenomeles), but not on blackberry and raspberry (Rubus), which are under tribe Rubeae (Xie et al, 2020).…”

“…Since 2016, we have been conducting CMBS host range studies to confirm documented CMBS host plants from previous literature (worldwide) and to identify potential new CMBS host plants in the United States. Previous work by our group (Xie et al, 2020) confirmed apple (Malus domestica) as a host with moderate to severe susceptibility to CMBS.…”

Host Suitability for Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae) Differed Significantly among Crapemyrtle Species

“…[ 9 , 10 , 13 , 52 , 53 ]. In our previous study, infestations of CMBS were further confirmed on Malus angustifolia , Malus domestica , Chaenomeles speciosa , Diospyros rhombifolia , Heimia salicifolia , Lagerstroemia ‘Spiced Plum’, and twelve pomegranate cultivars [ 54 ]. Thus, CMBS is considered as a polyphagous insect with a relatively wide host range.…”

The complete mitochondrial genome of Metaphycus eriococci (Timberlake) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)

“…The M. eriococci in this study was reared from Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) which have caused esthetic and economic damage to crape myrtles and poses potential threats to other horticultural crops in the USA (Xie et al. 2020 ). Here, we present the complete mitochondrial genome of M. eriococci .…”

“…Metaphycus eriococci (Timberlake) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is a primary parasitoid of eriococcids and may play an important role in biological control of eriococcid pest species (Ghahari 2010;Wang et al 2013). The M. eriococci in this study was reared from Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) which have caused esthetic and economic damage to crape myrtles and poses potential threats to other horticultural crops in the USA (Xie et al 2020). Here, we present the complete mitochondrial genome of M. eriococci.…”