Prickly acacia, Acacia nilotica subsp. indica (Benth.) Brenan (Mimosaceae), a multi-purpose tree native to the Indian subcontinent, is a weed of national significance, widespread throughout the grazing areas of western Queensland and has the potential to spread throughout northern Australia. Biological control of prickly acacia has been in progress since the early 1980s, but with limited success to date. Based on genetic and climate matching studies, native surveys for potential biological control agents were conducted in 64 sites in Tamil Nadu state and eight sites in Karnataka state from November 2008 to December 2011. Surveys yielded 33 species of phytophagous insects (16 species of leaf-feeders, eight species of stem feeders, four species with leaf-feeding adults and root-feeding larvae, two stem-borers and bark-feeders and three flower-feeders) and two rust fungi. The number of species recorded at survey sites increased with the number of times the sites were surveyed. Using a scoring system...

Survey and prioritisation of potential biological control agents for prickly acacia (Acacia nilotica subsp. indica) in southern India

Impacts of Exotic Biological Control Agents on Non‐target Species and Biodiversity

Prickly acacia (Vachellia nilotica ssp. indica), a multipurpose tree native to the Indian subcontinent, is a Weed of National Significance and is widespread throughout the grazing areas of northern Australia. Biological control of V. nilotica ssp. indica has been in progress since the early 1980s, but with limited success to date. Based on genetic and climate matching studies, native surveys for potential biological control agents were conducted in India during 2008-2011. A total of 72 sites were surveyed in southern India and 60 sites in north-western India. Surveys yielded 33 species of phytophagous insects and two rust fungi. Based on host records, 20 insect species that are crop pests or polyphagous, and all plant pathogens other than the two rust fungi, were excluded from the list of potential biological control agents. Using field host range, geographic range, seasonal incidence, damage potential, and preliminary host-specificity test results in India, as filters, the following agents were prioritised for detailed host specificity tests: a scale insect (Anomalococcus indicus), two leaf-webbers (Phycita sp. A and Phycita sp. B), a leaf weevil (Dereodus denticollis), a leaf beetle (Pachnephorus sp.), one gall-inducing rust (Ravenelia acacia-arabicae) and a leaf rust (Ravenelia evansii). The two rusts were sent to CABI-UK for preliminary host-specificity testing. Import permits for the brown leaf-webber (Phycita sp. A), the green leaf-webber (Phycita sp. B), the scale insect (A. indicus), the leaf-weevil (D. denticollis) and the leaf-beetle (Pachnephorus sp.) have been obtained from relevant regulatory authorities in Australia. So far, 11 importations, containing several thousands of insects in total have been exported from India into a quarantine facility in Brisbane, Australia. Based on these importations, host specificity tests for the brown leaf-webber (Phycita sp. A) have been completed, and the tests for the scale insect (A. indicus) and the green leaf-webber (Phycita sp., B) are in progress. Additional importations of the leaf-weevil (D. denticollis) and the leaf-beetle (Pachnephorus sp.) are planned for later in the year, when conditions are more conducive for field collections.

New biocontrol opportunities for prickly acacia: exploration in India

A gall midge, Prodiplosis hirsuta Kolesik sp. nov., is described whose larvae feed on shoot tips of Jatropha gossypiifolia and Jatropha clavuligera in Paraguay and Bolivia. Morphology and the mitochondrial COI gene sequence of the new species are given. Field survey and preliminary no‐choice host specificity tests showed that the host plant range of P. hirsuta is confined to J. gossypiifolia and J. clavuligera. The apparent host specificity and the damage potential make P. hirsuta a prospective candidate for biological control of J. gossypiifolia in Australia.

Prodiplosis hirsuta Kolesik sp. nov., a new species of gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) feeding on shoot tips of Jatropha (Euphorbiaceae) in South America

Application to introduce Puccinia xanthii for biological control of Xanthium pungens (cockleburr) in the Cook Islands

Host specificity is one, if not the most critical attribute for any biological control agent to be considered for introduction into a new environment. Nevertheless, specificity is not always an absolute measure. The acceptability of any potential non-target effects will depend on a number of factors such as the extent of the non-target damage, the status of the affected species and the inherent characteristics of the receiving ecosystem; and, any decision for introduction will have to be based upon an encompassing risk – benefit analysis. The concept of “acceptable levels of host specificity” is illustrated using the case studies of three rust species which are currently under evaluation as potential classical biological control (CBC) agents for Australia: Puccinia lantanae Farlow from Peru for lantana, Lantana camara Linnaeus; Phakopsora jatrophicola Cummins from Mexico for bellyache bush, Jatropha gossypifolia Linnaeus; and Ravenelia acaciae-arabicae Mundkur & Thirumalachar from India for prickly acacia, Acacia nilotica ssp. indica (Linnaeus) Wildenow ex Delile. Based on the research conducted to date, the risks associated with the potential release of each individual pathogen as a CBC agent for Australia and, in the case of P. lantanae also for New Zealand and South Africa, are assessed. Finally, comparisons are drawn with the risk evaluation undertaken for two other rust pathogens, Maravalia cryptostegiae
(Cummins) Y. Ono and Puccinia xanthii Schweinitz var. parthenii-hysterophorae Seier, H.C. Evans & A. Romero, previously introduced for weed control into Australia.

/pdf/how-specific-is-specific-enough-case-studies-of-three-rust-3tojtar2r9.pdf

How specific is specific enough? - case studies of three rust species under evaluation for weed biological control in Australia.

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How specific is specific enough? - case studies of three rust species under evaluation for weed biological control in Australia.