U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Invasive Plant Research Laboratory: Fort Lauderdale, FL
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    Outreach
                        Volunteer
                                    Outreach Activities 2019
                                    Outreach Activities 2020
                                    Outreach Activities 2022
                    K.I.N.D. GardenSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Southeast Area Fort Lauderdale, Florida Invasive Plant Research Laboratory Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Wheeler, Gregoryitem
                                            CHAWNER, M. - University Of Michiganitem
                                            WILLIAMS, D. - Texas Christian University
  Submitted to: Biological Control
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 2/24/2014
                                    Publication  Date: 3/21/2014
                                    Publication URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2014.02.017Citation: Wheeler, G.S., Chawner, M., Williams, D.A. Predicting the host range of Nystalea ebalea: secondary plant chemistry and host selection by a surrogate biological control agent of Schinus terebinthifolia. Biological Control. 73:39-49. 2014.Interpretive Summary: A caterpillar species, Nystalea ebalea was studied as a prospective biological control agent of the invasive weed, Brazilian peppertree. The host range of this insect was examined on several related and valued plants from Florida. Additionally, the chemistry of these plants that might influence plant selection and utilization by this insect was analyzed that included nitrogen, terpenoids, and urushiols. We found that this insect had low survival and general larval performance when fed plants that contained urushiol, the plant compound that causes skin irritation in sensitive humans. However, the terpenoids analyzed seemed to have only minor influence on host range of this insect. Other potential biological control agents may also be sensitive to these compounds and this may limit their host range.
                                Technical Abstract: The safety of weed biological control depends upon the selection and utilization of the target weed by the agent while causing minimal harm to non-target species. Selection of weed species by biological control agents is determined by the presence of behavioral cues, generally host secondary plant compounds that elicit oviposition and feeding responses. Non-target species that possess the same behavioral cues as found in the target weed may be at risk of damage by classical biological control agents. Here we conducted host range tests and examined secondary plant compounds of several test plant species. We studied the specialist herbivore Nystalea ebalea (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) a Neotropical species, present in Florida as a surrogate biological control agent of the weed, Brazilian peppertree Schinus terebinthifolia, invasive in Florida and Hawaii. We found that the larvae had the greatest survival when fed the target weed, the Neotropical species Spondias purpurea, the Florida native species Rhus copallinum, and the ornamental Pistacia chinensis. Reduced survival and general larval performance were found on the native species Metopium toxiferum and Toxicodendron radicans. Both the volatiles and the allergen urushiols were chemically characterized for all species but urushiol diversity and concentration best predicted host range of this herbivore species. These results provide insight into host selection and utilization by one oligophagous Schinus herbivore. Other potential biological control agents may also be sensitive to plants that contain urushiols and if so, they may pose minimal risk to these native species.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov