Biological Control of Weeds:Operational and Research Report

2017Ashley Goode, PhD

USDA-ARS-Invasive Plant Research LaboratoryFt. Lauderdale, FL

Operational and Research Report 2017

• Biocontrol Agent Releases

• Research Updates

• Biocontrol Agent Development

Biocontrol Releases

Biocontrol Releases: LygodiumBrown Lygodium moth, Neomusotima conspurcatalis

* Includes only January-July release data, so a significant increase on 2016 release numbers is anticipated.

Christen Mason, SFWMD

More information: Ellen Lake, Ian Jones

*

Biocontrol Releases: LygodiumLygodium mite, Floracarus perrepae

• Very low establishment success measured in 2011 after initial field releases

• Agent is more widely distributed than originally thought• 321,009 released to date in FY 2016-17

Normal “fiddle head” Galled “fiddle head”

More information: Ellen Lake, Ian Jones

Biocontrol Releases: Air potatoAir potato leaf beetle, Lilioceris cheni

• USDA: 2012 – June 2017– 343,326 (southern nine CERP counties)

• FDAC-DPI: 2012 – Sept. 2016– 246,747 (central and northern Florida)

• UF-Fort Pierce: 2012 – Sept. 2016– 41,224 (central and northern Florida)

More information: Min Rayamajhi

Biocontrol Releases: WaterhyacinthWaterhyacinth planthopper, Megamelus scutellaris

• 2015: 570,552• 2016: 560,297• 2017: 410,427 so far

More information: Phil Tipping, Ashley Goode

Research Updates

Research Update: Lygodium

• Mites, fire, and ENP • Optimal release strategy for both moths and mites, are interactions…– Additive?– Synergistic?– Competitive?

ENP Feb 2015

ENP April 2016

More information: Ellen Lake, Ian Jones, Melissa Smith

Research Update: Air Potato

• Lilioceris cheni established at 75% of surveyed points

• Impact– Reduction in bulbil

production and vine coverage

– Detailed impact data analysis is in progress

More information: Min Rayamajhi

Research Update: Waterhyacinth

• Reproductive biology of Taosa longula in Argentina

• Interactions between M. scutellaris, M. davisi, and Kalopolynema ema

Taosa longula

M. davisi and K. ema on Nuphar

More information: Phil Tipping, Ashley Goode

Megamelus davisi (native)

(Photo J. Insigna)

Megamelus scutellaris (exotic)

(Photo P. Tipping)

Kalopolyema ema (native)

(Photo J. Foley)

Nuphar advena (native)

Eichhornia crassipes (exotic)

Research Update: Waterhyacinth

More information: Phil Tipping, Carey Minteer, Melissa Smith, Ellen Lake, Ashley Goode

Pond

Waterhyacinth/M. scutellaris

Subsidy

Cow LilyM. davisiParasitism

20

5

10

1

Research Update: Waterhyacinth

More information: Phil Tipping, Carey Minteer, Melissa Smith, Ellen Lake, Ashley Goode

Research Update: Waterhyacinth

• Megamelus scutellaris– 52.4% increase in density at

persistent sites – Dispersal in STA 5, Lake

Okeechobee, and Nubbins Slough– Persisted through herbicide

treatment

More information: Phil Tipping, Ashley Goode

Research Update: Brazilian Peppertree

• Pseudophilothrips ichini– Mass rearing techniques– Impact

More information: Greg Wheeler, Dale Halbritter

Research Update: Melaleuca

• Oxyops vitiosa Naled Permethrin

More information: Melissa Smith

Research Update: Earleaf Acacia

• Received funding for native range exploration and initial testing

More information: Melissa Smith

Biocontrol Agent Development

In Development: Lygodium

• Lygomusotima stria (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)– Larvae defoliate plants– ~1-2 more years in development

• Neostrombocerus albicomus(Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)– Sawfly larvae defoliate plants– ~2-3 more years in development

More information: Ellen Lake

In Development: Lygodium

• Stem boring moths (4 species)– Larvae bore low on rachis and may

kill all growth above the feeding point

– Extremely difficult to colonize– ~4-5 more years in development

• Callopistria sp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)– Just colonized at IPRL Spring 2016– Larvae defoliate plants– ~3-5 more years in development

More information: Ellen Lake

In Development: Air Potato

• Lilioceris egena (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea)– Adults and larvae feed on bulbils– TAG petition in prep now

More information: Allen Dray

In Development: Water Lettuce

• Lepidelphax pistiae (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)– Adults and nymphs feed on plant’s juices reducing

growth– Quarantine host range testing

More information: Phil Tipping, Allen Dray, Ashley Goode

In Development: Brazilian Peppertree

• Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae)– Kills new shoots and reduces

growth of plants– Awaiting permit

• Calophya latiforceps (Hemiptera: Calophyidae)– Leaf galling insect– Recommended for release by

TAG

More information: Greg Wheeler, Dale Halbritter

In Development: Downy Rose Myrtle

• Casmara subagronoma (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae)– Stem borer with a long lifecycle– Quarantine host range testing

• Mesophleps albinella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)– Fruit boring moth– Quarantine host range testing –

potentially not specific enough

More information: Melissa Smith, Susan Wright, Matthew Purcell

In Development: Downy Rose Myrtle

• Idiophantis spp. (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)– Fruit boring moth– Import to quarantine in

Gainesville in August/September

• More exploration into new areas in the Philippines

In Development: Melaleuca

• Lophidoplosis indentata (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)– Leaf galling insect– Can establish where Oxyops cannot

More information: Melissa Smith, Phil Tipping

Acknowledgements

• USDA-ARS-Invasive Plant Research Laboratory: Alissa Berro, Evan Broggi, Laura Cash, Jorge Cedeno, Allen Dray, Kirsten Dyer, Danyelle Fitzgerald, Jeremiah Foley, Scott Goldstein, Emily Jones, Ian Jones, Luke Kasarjian, Brittany Knowles, Ellen Lake, George Leidi, Paul Madeira, Anyelica Mangreu, Christina Martinez, Beth Mattison, Angelica Moncado, Tatum Norrell, Wirley Pierre, Eileen Pokorny, Min Rayamahji, Donna Signa, Melissa Smith, Ryann Valmonte, Greg Wheeler, Susan Wright.

• Australian Biological Control Laboratory: Matt Purcell, Tony Wright, Jeff Makinson, Bradley Brown, Ryan Zonneveld, Dalio Mira, Gio Fichera.

• FUEDEI (USDA-SABCL): Arabella Bugliani, Miquel Bugliani, Willie Cabrera, Maria Victoria Cardo, M. Christina Hernandez, Alejandro Sosa.

• SFWMD: Mike Bodle, Tony Griffin, Francois Laroche, LeRoy Rogers, Lou Toth, Ellen Allen, Christen Mason.

• SJRWMD: Gary Nichols, Matt Cole, Randy Snyder, Lori McCloud, Pam Livingston-Way.

• SWFWMD: Gary Nelson. • USACE: Jon Lane, Jon Morton, Tim Harris, David Lattuca.• USGS: Nick Aumen, Don De Angelis.• FWCC: Don Schmitz, Susie Toledo.• UF: Monica Elliot, Robin Giblin-Davis, Lyn Gettys, Bill Overholt,

Norm Leppla, Virni Mattson, Linda Peterson, Glinda Burnett.

• NPS: Hillary Cooley, Tony Pernas, Jonathan Taylor.• NRCS: Melissa Martin• US Fish & Wildlife: Bill Thomas, Marcie Kapsch, Rebekah Gibble,

Rolf Olsen.• FL Department Of Forestry: Dexter Sowell, Denise Wilde, Vince

Morris.• FL Department of Agriculture: Erich Rohrig.• FL State Parks: Andi Christman, Andy Flanner, Rob Rossmanith,

Jeff Bach, John Lakich, Jim Gibson, Carmelo Duesler.• RER Miami Dade (DERM): Mike Spinelli, Matt Davis.• City of Ft. Lauderdale Parks: Gene Dempsey• NAM Miami Dade: Joe McGuire.• Martin County: Mike Yustin• Barley Barber Swamp: Jim Lindsay, Janine Bacquie• Broward Co. Parks and Recreation: Pat Howell, Kelli Whitney,

Nikki Hochberg.• Broward College: David Serrano• University of LaPlata: Ana Marino de Remes Lenicov.• University of Blumenau: Marcelo Vitorino.• Rhodes University: Julie Coetzee, Martin Hill.

Questions?