Successful spread of a biocontrol agent reveals a biosecurity failure: elucidating long distance invasion pathways for Gonatocerus ashmeadi in French Polynesia

Petit, Jérôme N.; Hoddle, Mark S.; Grandgirard, Julie; Roderick, George; Davies, Neil

doi:10.1007/s10526-008-9204-7

Cited by 23 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 18 publications

(28 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, some VCGs of A. flavus have relatively limited distributions (Cotty, unpublished). The selection of a strain for biological control from a widely distributed VCG was deliberate, as it reduces the risk to nontarget hosts (68) and the risks of a nonnative introduced organism having unforeseen ecological results (68)(69)(70)(71)(72). As more biological control programs to reduce aflatoxin contamination are pursued globally, the strains used as biopesticides should be derived from local fungal populations and should not be based on atoxigenic strains that are not indigenous to the targeted region.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Analysis of the Aspergillus flavus Vegetative Compatibility Group to Which a Biological Control Agent That Limits Aflatoxin Contamination in U.S. Crops Belongs

Grubisha

Cotty

2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Some filamentous fungi in Aspergillus section Flavi produce carcinogenic secondary compounds called aflatoxins. Aflatoxin contamination is routinely managed in commercial agriculture with strains of Aspergillus flavus that do not produce aflatoxins. These non-aflatoxin-producing strains competitively exclude aflatoxin producers and reshape fungal communities so that strains with the aflatoxin-producing phenotype are less frequent. This study evaluated the genetic variation within naturally occurring atoxigenic A. flavus strains from the endemic vegetative compatibility group (VCG) YV36. AF36 is a strain of VCG YV36 and was the first fungus used in agriculture for aflatoxin management. Genetic analyses based on mating-type loci, 21 microsatellite loci, and a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the aflC gene were applied to a set of 237 YV36 isolates collected from 1990 through 2005 from desert legumes and untreated fields and from fields previously treated with AF36 across the southern United States. One haplotype dominated across time and space. No recombination with strains belonging to VCGs other than YV36 was detected. All YV36 isolates carried the SNP in aflC that prevents aflatoxin biosynthesis and the mat1-2 idiomorph at the mating-type locus. These results suggest that VCG YV36 has a clonal population structure maintained across both time and space. These results demonstrate the genetic stability of atoxigenic strains belonging to a broadly distributed endemic VCG in both untreated populations and populations where the short-term frequency of VCG YV36 has increased due to applications of a strain used to competitively exclude aflatoxin producers. This work supports the hypothesis that strains of this VCG are not involved in routine genetic exchange with aflatoxin-producing strains.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Analysis of the Aspergillus flavus Vegetative Compatibility Group to Which a Biological Control Agent That Limits Aflatoxin Contamination in U.S. Crops Belongs

Grubisha

Cotty

2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Indeed this strategy is used commonly in biological control to increase spread rates even for species that are able to spread on their own (e.g., Drea and Hendrickson 1986;Caltagirone and Doutt 1989;Ireson and Webb 1996;Pratt et al 2003;van Hezewijk et al 2010). Such redistribution can be very effective in countering low dispersal rates or for overcoming substantial geographic barriers (e.g., expanses of ocean between islands), and it can also occur unintentionally (Petit et al 2009). However, comprehensive redistribution programs can be sufficiently costly so that effective natural dispersal is typically considered preferable to redistribution (Lavandero et al 2004).…”

Section: Too Little Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%

A ‘Goldilocks’ hypothesis for dispersal of biological control agents

Heimpel

Asplen

2011

BioControl

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The rate at which biological control agents disperse from release sites has important implications for their establishment and spread. Low rates of dispersal can yield spread that is too slow and may necessitate redistribution efforts for importation biological control and a high density of release sites for augmentation. Low dispersal rates may also lead to inbreeding at the site of release. On the other hand, high rates of dispersal can lead to Allee effects at the leading edge of the invasion front, potentially reducing the likelihood of establishment. Given these disadvantages associated with both low and high dispersal rates, we argue that intermediate rates of dispersal are likely to maximize the probability of establishment and appropriate spread for biological control agents released in the context of either importation or augmentative biological control. We consider this putative relationship a 'Goldilocks hypothesis' since it posits an optimum at intermediate values. In this review paper we begin by discussing the rationale for the Goldilocks hypothesis and then provide a case study from our work on importation biological control of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines. Work on the soybean aphid parasitoid Binodoxys communis has shown that long-distance dispersal of immature parasitoids within winged migrating aphids is unlikely. This is likely good news for importation biological control because parasitoids dispersed in this manner would likely encounter crippling Allee effects. On the other hand, results from a field release study also suggest that female B. communis females (but not males) disperse actively from release sites. This female-biased dispersal may lead to strong mate-finding Allee effects and therefore may make establishment less likely.

show abstract

“…Opportunities probably do exist for multi-country coordination that should be encouraged. The Pacific island nations, for example, should develop such regionwide review processes given the rapidity with which invasive species tend to spread throughout the region (e.g., Petit et al, 2009). Such coordination might be led by some of the major biological control practitioners in the region, such as ACIAR (Australia), CABI (UK), or the University of Hawaii (USA).…”

Section: International Coordination Of Reviews Of Release Petitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Benefit–risk assessment of biological control in wildlands

Driesche¹,

Simberloff

2016

Integrating Biological Control Into Conservation Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Successful spread of a biocontrol agent reveals a biosecurity failure: elucidating long distance invasion pathways for Gonatocerus ashmeadi in French Polynesia

Abstract: Invasive species are generally detected in new ecosystems long after their first arrival,

Cited by 23 publications

References 18 publications

Genetic Analysis of the Aspergillus flavus Vegetative Compatibility Group to Which a Biological Control Agent That Limits Aflatoxin Contamination in U.S. Crops Belongs

Genetic Analysis of the Aspergillus flavus Vegetative Compatibility Group to Which a Biological Control Agent That Limits Aflatoxin Contamination in U.S. Crops Belongs

A ‘Goldilocks’ hypothesis for dispersal of biological control agents

Benefit–risk assessment of biological control in wildlands

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About