Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T07:08:09.171Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

SCREENING OF PHYTOPHAGOUS INSECTS FOR BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF WEEDS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

P. Harris
Affiliation:
Research Institute, Canada Department of Agriculture, Belleville, Ontario
H. Zwölfer
Affiliation:
Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control, Delémont, Switzerland

Abstract

It is necessary to demonstrate the host specificity of an exotic phytophagous insect before introducing it for the biological control of a weed. The widely-used "starvation test" made on economic plants is considered inadequate for this purpose and we propose that studies should be broadened to include the following: (1) study of the insect’s biology, including host–plant records, with particular attention to adaptations likely to restrict the host range, (2) review of the plants attacked by related insects, (3) determination of the laboratory host range of the insect, (4) investigation of the chemical or physical basis of host–plant recognition, (5) starvation tests on economic plants to confirm the limits of the previously established host range, (6) establishment of the insects’ potential effectiveness for weed control. A limited amount of feeding on economic plants in the laboratory is not reason for rejection, if other criteria show the insect has a high degree of specificity.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1968

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andres, L. A., and Angalet, G. W.. 1963. Notes on the ecology and host specificity of Microlarinus lareynii and M. lypriformis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and the biological control of puncture vine, Tribulus terrestria. J. econ. Ent. 56: 333340.Google Scholar
Auclair, J. L., Maltais, J. B., and Cartier, G. G.. 1957. Factors in resistance of peas to the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harr.). II Amino acids. Can. Ent. 89: 457464.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Currie, G. A. 1932. Ovipositional stimuli of the burr-seed fly, Euaresta aequalis Loew (Diptera: Trypetidae). Bull. ent. Res. 23: 191194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraenkel, G. S. 1959. The raison d'être of secondary plant substances. Science, N.Y. 129: 14661470.Google Scholar
Gupta, P. D., and Thorsteinson, A. J.. 1960 a. Food plant relationships of the diamond-back moth (Plutella maculipennis (Curt.) ). I. Gustation and olfaction in relationship to botanical specificity of the larva. Entomologia exp. appl. 3: 241250.Google Scholar
Gupta, P. D., and Thorsteinson, A. J.. 1960 b. Food plant relationships of the diamond-back moth (Plutella maculipennis (Curt.)). II. Sensory regulation of oviposition of the adult female. Entomologia exp. appl. 3: 305314.Google Scholar
Hagen, K. S. 1966. Dependence of the olive fly, Dacus oleae, larvae on symbiosis with Pseudomonas savastonoi for the utilization of olive. Nature, Lond. 209: 423424.Google Scholar
Harris, P. 1963. Host specificity of Calophasia lunula (Hufn.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Can. Ent. 95: 101105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harris, P., and Mohyuddin, A. I.. 1965. The bioassay of insect feeding tokens. Can. Ent. 97: 830833.Google Scholar
Heed, W. B., and Kircher, H. W.. 1965. Unique sterol in the ecology and nutrition of Drosophila pachea. Science, N.Y. 149: 758761.Google Scholar
Hinton, T. 1959. Miscellaneous nutritional variations, environmental and genetic, in Drosophila. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 77: 366372.Google Scholar
House, H. L. 1966. The role of nutritional principles in biological control. Can. Ent. 98: 11211134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huffaker, C. B. 1957. Fundamentals of biological control of weeds. Hilgardia 27: 101157.Google Scholar
Huffaker, C. B. 1959. Biological control of weeds with insects. A. Rev. Ent. 4: 251276.Google Scholar
Huffaker, C. B. 1962. Some concepts on the ecological basis of biological control of weeds. Can. Ent. 94: 507514.Google Scholar
Huffaker, C. B. 1967. A comparison of the status of biological control of St. Johnswort in California and Australia. Mushi 39: 5173.Google Scholar
Huffaker, C. B., and Kennett, C. E.. 1952. Ecological tests on Chrysolina gemellata (Rossi) and C. hyperici Forst. in biological control of klamath weed. J. econ. Ent. 45: 10611064.Google Scholar
Jermy, T. 1966. Feeding inhibitors and food preferences in chewing phytophagous insects. Entomologia exp. appl. 9: 112.Google Scholar
Mayr, E. 1963. Animal species and evolution. Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, Mass.Google Scholar
Panin, S. 1944. Les Chrysomela de la Roumanie. Bull. Sect. scient. Acad. roum. 26: 601625.Google Scholar
Sang, J. H. 1959. Circumstances affecting the nutritional requirements of Drosophila melanogaster. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 77: 352365.Google Scholar
Schoonhoven, L. M. 1967. Loss of host plant specificity by Manduca sexta after rearing on an artificial diet. Entomologia exp. appl. 10: 270272.Google Scholar
Smith, J. M. 1958. Biological control of klamath weed, Hypericum perforatum L. in British Columbia. Proc. 10th Int. Congr. Ent. (1956). Vol. 4. pp. 561565.Google Scholar
Walbauer, G. P. 1962. The growth and reproduction of maxillectomized tobacco hornworms feeding on normally rejected non-solanaceous plants. Entomologia exp. appl. 5: 147158.Google Scholar
Wilson, F. 1960. A review of the biological control of insects and weeds in Australia and Australian New Guinea. Tech. Bull. Commonw. Inst. biol. Control, No. 1.Google Scholar
Wilson, F. 1964. The biological control of weeds. A. Rev. Ent. 9: 225244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zwölfer, H.Tech. Bull. Commonw. Inst. biol. Control. (In press.)Google Scholar
Zwölfer, H., and Harris, P.. 1966. Ceutorhynchus litura (F.) (Col.: Curculionidae), a potential insect for the biological control of thistle, Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. in Canada. Can. J. Zool. 44: 2338.Google Scholar