Abstract
Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) Gentry (Bignoniaceae) was introduced as an ornamental in South Africa, but is fast becoming an important invasive plant in many areas. It is difficult to control the plant chemically and mechanically. The first biocontrol agent, the chrysomelid Charidotis auroguttata (Boheman), has been released. It established at some release sites, but numbers have so far remained low. Additional biocontrol agents were sought to augment C. auroguttata. The potential host ranges of two foliage feeding lace bugs, Carvalhotingis visenda (Drake and Hambleton) and C. hollandi (Drake) (Hemiptera: Tingidae) were evaluated on the basis of nymphal no-choice and adult multi-choice tests involving 23 plant species in 11 families. In no-choice tests, nymphs of both species were able to survive and complete development on M. unguis-cati only, and adults of both species only fed and oviposited on M. unguis-cati during the adult multi-choice tests. Host specificity tests thus confirm that the tingids are highly host specific biocontrol agents, and will not pose risk to any non-target plants in South Africa. A study to determine the potential impact of C. hollandi nymphal feeding on M. unguis-cati showed a significant decrease in the chlorophyll contents of leaves when compared to those of control plants. These studies indicate that, once released, the two lace bug species could contribute significantly to the biological control of M. unguis-cati in South Africa.
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Acknowledgements
Several organizations provided financial support, including National Department of Agriculture, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and the Agricultural Research Council of South Africa. Opportunistic searches for natural enemies were done with some financial support from the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mining, Australia. The authors would like to thank PPRI staff for some identifications; Thomas J. Henry, Research Entomologist, Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland, USA, for identification of C. visenda and C. hollandi; Dr C.L. Bellamy, Principal Specialist on New World Buprestidae, Plant Pest Diagnostic Laboratory, California Department of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento, California, USA, for identification of H. (Hedwigiella) jureceki; M. Alma Solis, Research Entomologist at the Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, USA, for identification of H. pyrochroma; and C. O’ Brien for identification of A. notatus.
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Williams, H.E., Neser, S. & Madire, L.G. Candidates for biocontrol of Macfadyena unguis-cati in South Africa: biology, host ranges and potential impact of Carvalhotingis visenda and Carvalhotingis hollandi under quarantine conditions. BioControl 53, 945–956 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-007-9107-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-007-9107-z