Potential biological control agents for management of cogongrass (Cyperales: Poaceae) in the southeastern USA

Authors

  • William A. Overholt Indian River Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA
  • Purnama Hidayat Department of Plant Protection, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
  • Bruno Le Ru Unité de Recherche IRD/CNRS 247, icipe-African Insect Science for Food and Health, PO Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya and EGCE, Evolution Génomes Comportement et Ecologie, CNRS, Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France
  • Keiji Takasu Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812–8581, Japan
  • John A. Goolsby USDA/ARS, Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory, Moore Air Base, Edinburg, Texas 78541, USA
  • Alex Racelis Department of Biology, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 1201 W. University Dr., Edinburg Texas 78539, USA
  • A. Millie Burrell Institute of Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-2123, USA
  • Divina Amalin Department of Biology, De La Salle University, 1004 Manila, the Philippines
  • Winnifred Agum Biological Control Unit, National Agricultural Research Laboratories, Namulonge, Uganda
  • Mohamed Njaku National Biological Control Program, Ministry of Agriculture, Kibaha, Tanzania
  • Beatrice Pallangyo National Biological Control Program, Ministry of Agriculture, Kibaha, Tanzania
  • Patricia E. Klein Institute of Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-2123, USA
  • James P. Cuda Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32608,

Keywords:

Imperata cylindrica, weed, exotic, invasive, natural enemy, biological control

Abstract

Cogongrass, Imperata cylindrica (L.) Palisot de Beauvois (Cyperales: Poaceae), is a serious invasive weed in the southeastern USA. Surveys for potential biological control agents of cogongrass were conducted in Asia and East Africa from 2013 to 2016. Several insect herbivores were found that may have restricted host ranges based on field collection data and life histories. Stemborers in the genus Acrapex (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were collected from cogongrass in Tanzania, Uganda, and Japan. In the Philippines, larvae of Emmalocera sp. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Chilo sp. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) were found boring in cogongrass. Cecidomyiid midges were found in both Japan and Indonesia. A Japanese midge identified as a Contarinia sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) caused deformation of the stem, whereas the Indonesian midge Orseolia javanica Kieffer & van Leeuwen-Reijinvaan (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) induced the formation of a basal stem gall. Previous research suggested that the host range of O. javanica was restricted to cogongrass.

 

Resumen

La cisca, Imperata cylindrica (L.) Palisot de Beauvois (Cyperales: Poaceae), es una maleza invasora grave en el sureste de los EE.UU. Se realizó un sondeo de las agentes potenciales de control biológico de plantas de cisca en Asia y África Oriental desde 2013 hasta 2016. Varios insectos herbívoros fueron encontrados que pueden tener un rango restringido de hospederos a partir de datos de recolección de campo e historias de vida. Se recolectaron barrenadores del tallo en el género Acrapex (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) de plantas de cisca en Tanzania, Uganda y Japón. En las Filipinas, se encontraron larvas de Emmalocera sp. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) y Chilo sp. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) barrenando plantas de cisca. Se encuentran jejénes cecidomyiidos tanto en Japón e Indonesia. Un jején japonés identificado como un Contarinia sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) causó la deformación del tallos, mientras que el jején de Indonesia, Orseolia javanica Kieffer & van Leeuwen-Reijinvaan (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) indujo la formación de una agalla en la base del tallo. Las investigaciones anteriores sugieren que la gama de hospederos de O. javanica es restringida a plantas de cisca.

 

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Published

2016-12-31

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Section

Research Papers