Physiological host range of Ceratapion basicorne, a prospective biological control agent of Centaurea solstitialis (Asteraceae)

Abstract

Ceratapion basicorne (Coleoptera: Apionidae) is a weevil native to Europe and western Asia that is being evaluated as a prospective classical biological control agent of Centaurea solstitialis (yellow starthistle) in the United States. Host plant speciWcity of the insect was evaluated in no-choice oviposition experiments. Feeding on leaf tissue by adult females was highly correlated to oviposition rate, both of which occurred primarily on plants in the tribe Cardueae, and especially those in the monophyletic subtribe Centaureinae. The highest rates of larval development occurred on Ce. solstitialis and Centaurea cyanus (bachelor's button, garden cornXower), and there was signiWcant development on Centaurea melitensis (Napa starthistle, tocalote), Cnicus benedictus (blessed thistle), Carthamus tinctorius (saZower), and Crupina vulgaris (common crupina). All the plants that supported some larval development are within a monophyletic clade within the Centaureinae. No native North American plants appear to be at risk of signiWcant damage by this insect. Additional testing of saZower and bachelor's button under choice conditions should complement these results to help determine the degree to which these plants are at risk.

Laboratory and field experimental evaluation of host plant specificity of Aceria solstitialis, a prospective biological control agent of yellow starthistle

“…D. Don is the closest relative to Ce. solstitialis that is native to North America (see Smith 2007 This experiment was conducted in the laboratory from June to July in 2007 using the large cages described above under the same environmental conditions. Centaurea solstitialis plants at 5-6 leaf stage were inoculated with leaf cuttings (2 cm 2 ) each having at least 30 mites.…”

“…Thus, we tested plant species that represent taxa most likely to be at risk of attack based on phylogenetic distance and agronomic importance (Wapshere 1974;Smith 2007). Because relatively little is known about the best methods to evaluate host plant specificity of eriophyid mites (Skoracka et al 2010;Smith et al 2010), we conducted a series of nochoice, choice and field experiments.…”

Duration of emission of volatile organic compounds from mechanically damaged plant leaves

“…The purpose of this study was to measure changes in VOC emissions during 48 h after mechanically puncturing leaves of five plant species that represent a variety of phylogenetic clades within the tribe Centaureinae. These plant species have previously been used to evaluate the host plant specificity of a weevil (Ceratapion basicorne (Illiger), Coleoptera: Apionidae) as a prospective biological control agent of yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis L., Asteraceae) (Smith, 2007;Cristofaro et al, 2013).…”

Classical biological control for the protection of natural ecosystems

“…Successful biological control is developing for yellow starthistle (Gutierrez et al, 2005;Pitcairn et al, 2005;Smith, 2007;Woods et al, 2009), leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) (Cornett et al, 2006;Cline et al, 2008;Samuel et al, 2008), and diffuse (Centaurea diffusa) and spotted (Centaurea stoebe) knapweeds Story et al, 2000Story et al, , 2006Story et al, , 2008Seastedt et al, 2007;Myers et al, 2009). The value of these programs to the native biota of invaded grasslands requires further documentation.…”

“…Madeira vine in Australia. The South American plant Anredera cordifolia is a serious environmental weed in coastal areas of eastern Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand, and South Africa (Vivian- Smith et al, 2007). In Australia, Madeira vine threatens several endangered communities (Vivian-Smith et al, 2007) and is detrimental to riparian vegetation, tall open forest, and damp sclerophyll forests (Floyd, 1989).…”