José Henrique Pedrosa-Macedo

Biology, host specificity tests, and risk assessment of the sawfly Heteroperreyia hubrichi, a potential biological control agent of Schinus terebinthifolius in Hawaii

Heteroperreyia hubrichiMalaise (Hymenoptera: Pergidae), a foliagefeeding sawfly of Schinusterebinthifolius Raddi (Sapindales:Anacardiaceae), was studied to assess itssuitability as a classical biological controlagent of this invasive weed in Hawaii. No-choice host-specificity tests were conductedin Hawaiian quarantine on 20 plant species in10 families. Besides the target weed, adultfemales oviposited on four test species. Females accepted the Hawaiian native Rhussandwicensis A. Gray (Sapindales:Anacardiaceae) as an oviposition host equallyas well as the target species. The other threespecies received significantly fewer eggs. Neonate larvae transferred onto test plantssuccessfully developed to pupae on S.terebinthifolius (70% survival) and R.sandwicensis (1% survival). All other 18test plant species failed to support larvaldevelopment. A risk analysis was conducted toquantify the acceptability of non-targetspecies as host plants for H. hubrichi onthe basis of the insects performance atvarious stages in its life cycle. Risk ofdamage to all plant species tested wasinsignificant except for R. sandwicensis. Risk to this native plant relative to S.terebinthifolius was estimated at 1%. Currently this level of risk is too high torequest introduction of this insect into theHawaiian environment. Detailed impact studiesin the native range of S. terebinthifoliusare needed to identify thepotential benefit that this insect offers. Also, field studies in South America withpotted R. sandwicensis would give a morereliable analysis of the risk this nativeHawaiian plant would face from naturalpopulations of H. hubrichi.

Biology and Laboratory Rearing of Episimus utilis (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a Candidate for Classical Biological Control of Brazilian Peppertree (Anacardiaceae) in Florida

Abstract The biology of Episimus utilis Zimmerman, a natural enemy of Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, was investigated in a quarantine laboratory as part of a classical biological control program against this invasive weed in Florida. Adults lived on average 6.8 ± 0.8 d, and a generation was completed in 43.6 d at a temperature of 22.0°C and a photoperiod of 12:12 (L:D) h. Peak egg production occurred 2 d after females eclosed from the pupal stage. Females deposited a maximum of 172 eggs, with an average daily maximum of 13.6 eggs. The durations of the egg, larval, and pupal stages were 5.9, 23.7 (five instars), and 12.0 d, respectively. Stage-specific life tables were constructed to calculate basic population statistics. Under laboratory conditions where predation and food supply were not limiting factors, a population of E. utilis was capable of multiplying its population by 1.17 times per day, and a doubling of the population would occur every 4.4 d. To date, 10 consecutive generations of E. utilis have been produced on potted Brazil peppertree plants in the laboratory. The potential effectiveness of E. utilis as a biological control agent of Brazilian peppertree in Florida was examined using Goeden’s revision of the Harris scoring system.

Fundamental host range of Pseudophilothrips ichini s.l. (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae): a candidate biological control agent of Schinus terebinthifolius (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae) in the United States.

ABSTRACT Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae) is a non-native perennial woody plant that is one of the most invasive weeds in Florida, Hawaii, and more recently California and Texas. This plant was introduced into Florida from South America as a landscape ornamental in the late 19th century, eventually escaped cultivation, and now dominates entire ecosystems in south-central Florida. Recent DNA studies have confirmed two separate introductions of S. terebinthifolius in Florida, and there is evidence of hybridization. A thrips, Pseudophifothrips ichini s.l. (Hood) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), is commonly found attacking shoots and flowers of S. terebinthifolius in Brazil. Immatures and occasionally adults form large aggregations on young terminal growth (stems and leaves) of the plant. Feeding damage by P. ichini s.l. frequently kills new shoots, which reduces vigor and restricts growth of S. terebinthifolius. Greenhouse and laboratory host range tests with 46 plant species in 18 families and 10 orders were conducted in Parana, Brazil, and Florida. Results of no-choice, paired-choice, and multiple-choice tests indicated that P. ichini s.l. is capable of reproducing only on S. terebinthifolius and possibly Schinus molle L., an ornamental introduced into California from Peru that has escaped cultivation and is considered invasive. Our results showed that P. ichini s.l. posed minimal risk to mature S. molle plants or the Florida native Metopium toxiferum L. Krug and Urb. In May 2007, the federal interagency Technical Advisory Group for Biological Control Agents of Weeds (TAG) concluded P. ichini s.l. was sufficiently host specific to recommend its release from quarantine.

Phytophagous arthropods associated with Solanum mauritianum Scopoli (Solanaceae) in the first Plateau of Paraná, Brazil: a cooperative project on biological control of weeds between Brazil and South Africa

Solanum mauritianum Scopoli (bugweed), native to southern Brazil, is a major weed in South Africa where it has been targeted for biological control. In 1998, a cooperative project involving Brazilian and South African scientists was initiated to develop cooperative biological control studies involving native Brazilian plants that are invasive in South Africa. Surveys for natural enemies were carried out in the First Plateau of Parana, where the plant is particularly abundant and where the climatic conditions are similar to high altitude areas in South Africa that are invaded by S. mauritianum. Populations of S. mauritianum supported a diverse herbivore fauna, which included at least 34 insect species and one mite species. Five species with high biological control potential were collected: two flower-feeding, two leaf-feeding and one stem-boring species. Three of these species have been studied in quarantine in South Africa, one of which has already been released for the biological control of S. mauritianum, while a fourth species, Anthonomus morticinus Clark (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was studied in the field in Brazil.

Mass Rearing of Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), an Approved Biological Control Agent for Brazilian Peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae)

Raddi, native to Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay(Barkley 1944), is a non-native invasive weed inFlorida (Langeland & Burks 2008), California(Randall 2000), Hawaii (Hight et al. 2003), andTexas (Gonzalez & Christoffersen 2006). Thiswoody ornamental most likely was introducedinto Florida before 1900 (Morton 1978; Mack1991). It eventually escaped cultivation and is aserious problem in disturbed sites (e.g., fallowfarmlands, ditch banks), natural communitiessuch as pinelands, hardwood hammocks andmangrove forests, and the Everglades NationalPark (Toops 1979; Ewel et al. 1982).During the mid-1980s, Brazilian peppertreewas targeted for classical biological control inFlorida (Bennett et al. 1990; Habeck 1995). Thelong-term goal of this project is to introduce acomplex of specialist natural enemies into Floridathat are capable of selectively attacking and re-ducing the invasiveness of Brazilian peppertree.Surveys for natural enemies within the areas ofnatural distribution of Brazilian peppertree havebeen conducted, and biological and host rangestudies have been completed for several candi-date biological control agents (Cuda et al. 2006).In May 2007, the federal interagency TechnicalAdvisory Group for the Introduction of BiologicalControl Agents of Weeds (TAG) recommended therelease from quarantine of the stem-attackingthrips

OPEN FIELD HOST SPECIFICITY TESTS IN BRAZIL FOR RISK ASSESSMENT OF METRIONA ELATIOR (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE), A POTENTIAL BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENT OF SOLANUM VIARUM (SOLANACEAE) IN FLORIDA

Abstract Open field experiments were conducted in Brazil to assess the suitability of the South American leaf feeding beetle Metriona elatior Klug for biological control of tropical soda apple, Solanum viarum Dunal in the USA. A multiple choice open field test with eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), bell-pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), giló (Solanum gilo Raddi), falsa-jurubeba (Solanum fastigiatum Willd.), and the target weed Solanum viarum, was conducted at the Universidade Federal do Paraná Experimental Station in Curitiba. A second multiple choice-test was conducted 2 years later at the same location excluding the target weed and exposing M. elatior adults to S. melongena, S. tuberosum, L. scullentum, and C. annuum. An S. viarum control plot was established 60 km from the choice-test field. In total, 276 teneral adult beetles were released in the first multiple choice-test. In the second test, 176 beetles were released in the choice-test plot that excluded S. viarum, and 172 adult beetles were released in the S. viarum control plot at different developmental stages of the tested plants. All the plants in each plot were visually checked once a week and the number of adults, immatures, and eggs recorded. Results in the first multiple choice-test showed a complete rejection of the crop plants by M. elatior. Minor feeding (<3%) was observed on eggplant in the second experiment in which S. viarum was excluded from the crop plots, but all M. elatior larvae died in less than a week. The tests were ended when the plants started to senesce. The results of these open field tests corroborate previous quarantine/laboratory host specificity tests indicating that host range expansion of M. elatior to include the solanaceous crops tested is highly unlikely. A petition to release M. elatior in the USA was submitted to the TAG committee in September 2006.

Host specificity of Tectococcus ovatus (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), a potential biological control agent of the invasive strawberry guava, Psidium cattleianum (Myrtales: Myrtaceae), in Florida

Strawberry guava, Psidium cattleianum Sabine, is a woody tree or shrub native to coastal southeastern Brazil. Strawberry guava was introduced into Florida in the late 1800s as an ornamental species. The plant escaped cultivation and is invading natural areas throughout the southern half of the state. In addition to negative effects on Florida’s native ecosystems, strawberry guava also is a preferred host of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae).In total, 57 plant species representing 21 families were included in the host range tests. First instar nymphs of Tectococcus ovatus Hempel fed on two closely related guava species, Brazilian guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum O. Berg), and Costa Rican guava (Psidium guineense Sw.). However, none of the nymphs completed their development on these two non-target species. The results of the host specificity tests suggest that T. ovatus is a suitable candidate for classical biological control of strawberry guava in Florida.

Comportamento e ciclo de vida de Phaedon confinis (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) em condições de laboratório

Some aspects of the behavior and biology of Phaedon confinis Klug, 1829 are evaluated on the host plant Senecio brasiliensis (Spreng.) Less. The adult insects were collected in Ponta Grossa (Parana, Brazil) and were kept in an average temperature of 20.03oC. The eggs of P. confinis are elongated and yellowish, with an average total amount of 756.75 ± 50.19 eggs / female with an average of 7.54 ± 0.99 eggs / chutch. The average incubation period was 7.38 ± 0.21 days and the average viability of the eggs were 44.69% ± 7.45. The larva has dark brown coloration, with short bristles distributed on the body and the form was similar in the three larval instars, with size increasing in each ecdisys. The three instars lasted on average 5.81 days, 4.82 days and 21.84 days, respectively; and the average survival reached in the thirth instar was 5.27%. The pupal period presented average duration of 5.58 days and average survival of 3.88%. The average longevity of the females was 229 days and of the males 213.75 days.