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Specificity of Carvalhotingis visenda (Hemiptera: Tingidae) as a biological control agent for cat's claw creeper Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) in Australia

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Dhileepan, K., Treviño, M. and Snow, E.L. (2007) Specificity of Carvalhotingis visenda (Hemiptera: Tingidae) as a biological control agent for cat's claw creeper Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) in Australia. Biological Control, 41 (2). pp. 283-290.

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2007.02.006

Publisher URL: http://www.elsevier.com

Abstract

Biological control is considered the most suitable management option for cat's claw creeper, Macfadyena unguis-cati, a major environmental weed in coastal and sub-coastal areas of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. The potential host range of the leaf-sucking bug, Carvalhotingis visenda (Hemiptera: Tingidae) was evaluated on the basis of nymphal survival and development, adult feeding and survival, and oviposition preference using choice and no-choice tests involving 38 plant species in 10 families. In no-choice tests, although adults survived on a few of the non-target plants, no eggs were laid on any of the non-target plants. In no-choice condition, the tingid oviposits and completes nymphal development only on M. unguis-cati. There was also no visible feeding damage on any of the non-target plants. In choice tests, adults showed distinct preference for M. unguis-cati, and the preference level increased over time as the tingids moved away from the non-target plants. At the end of the trial no adults were evident on any of the non-target plants. Host specificity tests confirm that the tingid is a highly host specific biocontrol agent, and does not pose risk to any non-target plants in Australia. This agent has been approved for field release by the relevant regulatory authorities in Australia.

Item Type:Article
Corporate Creators:QPIF, Biosecurity Queensland, DNR&W
Additional Information:© Crown copyright. © Elsevier.
Keywords:Host specificity; non-target risk; biological control; cat's claw creeper; Bignoniaceae; Macfadyena unguis-cati; Tingidae; chlorophyll loss.
Subjects:Science > Zoology > Invertebrates > Insects
Science > Invasive Species > Plants > Biological control
Live Archive:22 Oct 2009 00:36
Last Modified:03 Sep 2021 16:48

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