Author
Marcelo Diniz Vitorino
dinizvitorino@gmail.com
University of Blumenau
Blumenau
Presenting author – Michelle Rafter
Coauthors
Eduardo Adenesky Filho, University of Blumenau, Blumenau, Brazil
Keila Ribeiro dos Santos, University of Blumenau, Blumenau, Brazil
Ben Gooden, CSIRO, Brisbane, Australia
Michelle A. Rafter, CSIRO, Brisbane, Australia
Abstract
Asteromyia sp. n. is one of the candidate agents under evaluation for the control of fleabane species of the genus Erigeron L. (Asteraceae). Host range tests were conducted with an emphasis on representatives of the family Asteraceae and on species closely related phylogenetically to Erigeron. The experiments were carried out in greenhouses using plants grown from seeds. Insects were obtained from colonies maintained at LAMPF/FURB, Brazil. In total, 156 species belonging to 70 botanical families were tested, including 82 non-target species (52.5%). A total of 2,136 plants and approximately 30,000 adults of Asteromyia sp. n. were used in multiple and no-choice tests, with six replicates, using E. sumatrensis as control. Only Leptostelma maximum (0.56%) exhibited gall formation. Additionally, preference assays were conducted among fleabane species of the genus Erigeron present in Brazil, including E. bonariensis, E. canadensis, E. glandulitecta, E. lorentzii, E. primulifolia, E. sumatrensis, and E. floribunda. Erigeron sumatrensis showed the highest galling intensity (59 leaves/437 galls), followed by E. bonariensis (28/162), E. canadensis (42/150), E. lorentzii (19/48), E. floribunda (19/59), E. glandulitecta (13/32), and E. primulifolia (0/0). The high degree of specificity, combined with the results of the preference test, indicates that Asteromyia sp. n. displays promising traits for incorporation into biological control programs for invasive fleabane species globally.
Keywords
Leaf gall
Flaxleaf fleabane
Native from Brazil
High specificity
Erigeron spp.
Highlights
Asteromyia sp. n. is highly specific to the genus Erigeron
Asteromyia sp.n. has great potential as a control agent
Selection of control agent based on its specificity