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Feeding Impacts of a Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) Biological Control Agent on a Native Plant, Euphorbia robusta

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

John L. Baker  and
Nancy A. P. Webber
John L. Baker*
Affiliation:
Fremont County Weed and Pest Control District, 450 N. 2nd Street, Room 315, Lander, WY 82520
Nancy A. P. Webber
Affiliation:
Fremont County Weed and Pest Control District, 450 N. 2nd Street, Room 315, Lander, WY 82520
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The biological control agent Aphthona nigriscutis Foudras (Chrysomelidae) established in Fremont County, WY since 1992 on leafy spurge was released into a mixed stand a native plant Euphorbia robusta Engelm. During host range testing, E. robusta was a likely host for A. nigriscutis under laboratory conditions. In 1999, A. nigriscutis was observed feeding on both E. esula and 31 of 36 E. robusta plants present on about 2 ha (5 ac) where the visually estimated E. esula canopy cover was 50%. By August 2001, E. esula cover had declined to less than 5% and E. robusta plants had increased to 450 plants with 26 (5.8%) showing feeding damage. In 2006 Euphorbia esula ground cover was 2% and of 598 E. robusta plants originally marked, 391 could be located and four of these had damage consistent with A. nigriscutis feeding. For the 8-yr period, E. esula ground cover was inversely correlated to E. robusta density and positively correlated to A. nigriscutis feeding damage on E. robusta. This study shows that while also acceptable to A. nigriscutis in the field, feeding on E. robusta declined with declining densities of the target weed while E. robusta population densities increased. It seems that some risk in this regard is acceptable in light of the damage from the target weed and the generally high level of selectivity provided by biological control agents.

Keywords

Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L. EPHESApthona nigriscutis FoudrasNon-target feeding
Type
Research Articles
Information
Invasive Plant Science and Management , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , January 2008 , pp. 26 - 30
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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