Survey and prioritisation of potential biological control agents for prickly acacia (<i>Acacia nilotica</i>subsp.<i>indica</i>) in southern India

Dhileepan, K.; Balu, A.; Murugesan, S.; Senthilkumar, P.; Shivas, R. G.

doi:10.1080/09583157.2013.788689

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 9 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In surveys conducted in India (Dhileepan et al. ), Phycita sp. was found only in southern India (Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) and not in north‐west India (Rajasthan and Gujarat).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In India, a total of 72 sites (64 sites in Tamil Nadu and eight sites in Karnataka) were surveyed at quarterly intervals from November 2008 to December 2011 (Dhileepan et al. , Table S2). At each site, two or three research staff spent a minimum of 1 h surveying for insects.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Native range surveys were refocussed in India (Dhileepan et al. , ), where the invasive Australian prickly acacia populations (subsp. indica ) originated (Wardill et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), was prioritized for detailed host‐specificity tests (Dhileepan et al. ). No‐choice larval development tests were conducted in India and Australia to determine the fundamental host range (species on which the agent can complete its life cycle) of Phycita sp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Life cycle and host range of Phycita sp. rejected for biological control of prickly acacia in Australia

Dhileepan

Lockett

Balu

et al. 2015

J Applied Entomology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Prickly acacia (Vachellia nilotica subsp. indica), a native of the Indian subcontinent, is a serious weed of the grazing areas of northern Australia and is a target for classical biological control. Native range surveys in India identified a leaf webber, Phycita sp. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) as a prospective biological control agent for prickly acacia. In this study, we report the life cycle and host-specificity test results Phycita sp. and highlight the contradictory results between the no-choice tests in India and Australia and the field host range in India. In no-choice tests in India and Australia, Phycita sp. completed development on two of 11 and 16 of 27 non-target test plant species, respectively. Although Phycita sp. fed and completed development on two non-target test plant species (Vachellia planifrons and V. leucophloea) in no-choice tests in India, there was no evidence of the insect on the two non-target test plant species in the field. Our contention is that oviposition behaviour could be the key mechanism in host selection of Phycita sp., resulting in its incidence only on prickly acacia in India. This is supported by paired oviposition choice tests involving three test plant species (Acacia baileyana, A. mearnsii and A. deanei) in quarantine in Australia, where eggs were laid only on prickly acacia. However, in paired oviposition choice trials, only few eggs were laid, making the results unreliable. Although oviposition choice tests suggest that prickly acacia is the most preferred and natural host, difficulties in conducting choice oviposition tests with fully grown trees under quarantine conditions in Australia and the logistic difficulties of conducting open-field tests with fully grown native Australian plants in India have led to rejection of Phycita sp. as a potential biological control agent for prickly acacia in Australia.

show abstract

“…In surveys conducted in India (Dhileepan et al. ), Phycita sp. was found only in southern India (Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) and not in north‐west India (Rajasthan and Gujarat).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Native range surveys were refocussed in India (Dhileepan et al. , ), where the invasive Australian prickly acacia populations (subsp. indica ) originated (Wardill et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations