1. Host range testing and life history of the defoliator Hymenomima nr. memor : an unsuitable biological control agent for Schinus terebinthifolia in the U.S.A.
- Author
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Broggi, E., Dyer, K., and Wheeler, G. S.
- Subjects
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BRAZILIAN pepper tree , *BIOLOGICAL control of plant diseases , *HOST specificity (Biology) , *PLANT species , *LIFE history theory - Abstract
Host range of larvae ofHymenomimanr.memor(Lepidoptera: Geometridae) was examined in quarantine to evaluate its suitability as a biological control of Brazilian peppertree,Schinus terebinthifolia. Brazilian peppertree,S. terebinthifoliais an environmental and agricultural weed from South America that had invaded many subtropical and tropical areas of the world including Florida and Hawaii, USA. Laboratory life history and quarantine host range studies ofH.memorwere conducted with no-choice feeding tests. These tests included eight species of the Anacardiaceae and one species of Sapindaceae. Larvae ofH. memorhad five to six instars with each head capsule width increasing by 1.68-X. Development time from neonate to adult was 46.7 ± 2.2 days. In host range tests, neonates completed development to the adult stage on all non-target species, exceptToxicodendron radicans. Moreover, developmental times were delayed and pupal weights were reduced for larvae fedSpondias purpurealeaves. Due to the broad host range exhibited byH. memorlarvae, this species will not be considered as a biological control agent ofS. terebinthifoliain the continental U.S.A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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