Abstract
The northern tamarisk beetle Diorhabda carinulata (Desbrochers) was approved for release in the United States for classical biological control of a complex of invasive saltcedar species and their hybrids (Tamarix spp.). An aggregation pheromone used by D. carinulata to locate conspecifics is fundamental to colonization and reproductive success. A specialized matrix formulated for controlled release of this aggregation pheromone was developed as a lure to manipulate adult densities in the field. One application of the lure at onset of adult emergence for each generation provided long term attraction and retention of D. carinulata adults on treated Tamarix spp. plants. Treated plants exhibited greater levels of defoliation, dieback and canopy reduction. Application of a single, well-timed aggregation pheromone treatment per generation increased the efficacy of this classical weed biological control agent.
Highlights
The genus Tamarix (Tamaricaceae) are invasive Eurasian woody trees or shrubs increasingly present and dominant in riparian areas of the western United States[1,2,3,4]
On day 1, mean D. carinulata aggregation pheromone emitted from treated dollops was 17514 nghr−1
The use of synthetic aggregation pheromones to manipulate the spatial distribution of biological control agents has been suggested as a method to intensify damage on under-exploited weed infestations[23].The results of this investigation confirm that the deployment of an aggregation pheromone is a feasible approach for manipulating the density and spatial distribution of D. carinulata to enhance biological control of Tamarix
Summary
The genus Tamarix (Tamaricaceae) are invasive Eurasian woody trees or shrubs increasingly present and dominant in riparian areas of the western United States[1,2,3,4]. Feeding by D. carinulata abrades the Tamarix foliar cuticle; widespread cuticular disruption by high densities of beetles results in desiccation of the foliage, leading to partial or complete host defoliation[14]. Defoliation by D. carinulata can dramatically increase the level of physiological stress experienced by affected plants and depletes reserves of stored carbon[15,16,17] This diminishes foliage production and root mass in the years following a defoliation event[16]. Techniques to manipulate densities of D. carinulata in the field have recently been investigated, to increase the biocontrol efficacy of sparse beetle populations[19] These manipulations involved the use of D. carinulata’s aggregation pheromone (2E,4Z)-2,4-heptadien-1-ol, which was identified by Cossé et al.[12,19,20].
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