BELOWGROUND HERBIVORY IN CARDUUS NUTANS (ASTERACEAE) AND THE POTENTIAL FOR BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL

Citation
Aw. Sheppard et al., BELOWGROUND HERBIVORY IN CARDUUS NUTANS (ASTERACEAE) AND THE POTENTIAL FOR BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL, Biocontrol science and technology, 5(3), 1995, pp. 261-270
Citations number
35
Categorie Soggetti
Plant Sciences",Agriculture,"Biothechnology & Applied Migrobiology
ISSN journal
09583157
Volume
5
Issue
3
Year of publication
1995
Pages
261 - 270
Database
ISI
SICI code
0958-3157(1995)5:3<261:BHICN(>2.0.ZU;2-G
Abstract
The impact of root-feeding insects attacking the 'biennial' Carduus nu tans L. in the southern part of ifs native European distribution was s tudied as part of a biological control programme against this weed for Australia. Surveys were conducted from Spain to Greece to parallel pr evious studies in central Europe and three populations of the weed wer e monitored in detail over a 2-4-year period in southern France. The d amage levels and attack patterns of each insect species were recorded The most common species damaging the roots and meristems were the weev ils Hadroplontus (= Ceutorhynchus) trimaculatus F. and Trichosirocalus horridus Panzer and the syrphid fly Cheilosia corydon Harris (= gross a Fallen). In manipulative experiments, made to assess their impact on the host plant, C. corydon reduced seed production by up to 45%, whil e the two weevils mainly altered plant architecture. The results are d iscussed in relation to previous experience of using root feeders for the biological control of G. nutans.