bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Initial establishment of the irish strain of Microctonus aethiopoides in New Zealand
Authors: Gerard P.J. , Eden T.M. , Hardwick S. , Mercer C.F. , Slay M.W.A. , Wilson D.J.
Published: October 2019

Four experimental releases of the parthenogenetic strain of Microctonus aethiopoides from Ireland were made in early 2006 in the Waikato Manawatu (two sites) and Hawkes Bay By early winter establishment was confirmed at all sites with parasitism levels exceeding 10 in the target host Sitona lepidus a serious pest of white clover in New Zealand Subsequent monitoring revealed considerable betweensite variation At the Hawkes Bay and Manawatu Feilding sites where overwintering weevil adults were still present in October over 30 parasitism was found in newly emerged weevils in December 2006 In contrast at the Waikato and Manawatu Bulls sites where there was no overlap of host generations parasitism was below detectable levels during spring and early summer but recovered subsequently The Irish M aethiopoides appears to have four generations a year and diapauses over winter as a first instar larva Following the initial success releases have commenced in other regions
Clover root weevil in the South Island detection response and current distribution
Authors: Phillips C.B. , McNeill M.R. , Hardwick S. , Vink C.J. , Kean J.M. , Bewsell D. , Ferguson C.M. , Winder L.M. , Iline I.I. , Barron M.C. , Stuart B.
Published: October 2019

Sitona lepidus had spread throughout the North Island of New Zealand by 2005 and was first detected in the South Island in January 2006 when one individual was found at Harewood Christchurch Intensive sampling during February 2006 recovered only two additional specimens Several specimens were recovered from a separate Christchurch location in August 2006 Localised S lepidus populations were discovered near Richmond Nelson in April 2006 and in Rai Valley in May 2006 A website established in May 2006 to provide information about S lepidus was visited a mean of 135 times per month but it was never used to report possible new South Island infestations A biological control agent Microctonus aethiopoides was released at Richmond and Rai Valley between August 2006 and March 2007 By May 2007 it was parasitising from 4 to 14 of S lepidus adults which indicates it is likely to become permanently established
Susceptibility of grapes to Botrytis cinerea in relation to berry nitrogen and sugar concentration
Authors: Mundy D.C. , Beresford R.M.
Published: October 2019

The percentage of detached grape berries inoculated in the laboratory that became infected by Botrytis cinerea during ripening was correlated with increasing sugar concentration and increasing yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) concentration These factors could not be separated to provide a causal relationship between YAN and berries with disease due to the close relationship that existed between sugar concentration YAN vine development and time Wounding increased the percentage of berries with disease particularly when the berries were immature These findings do not support the hypothesis that the inherent susceptibility of grape berries to botrytis infection increases with increasing YAN Field observations by growers that nitrogen fertiliser increases bunch rot may be due to nitrogen causing increased canopy density which in turn causes a microclimate more conducive to the development of botrytis bunch rot
Development of best practice to minimise offtarget drift from hydrogen cyanamide sprays in kiwifruit orchards
Authors: Gaskin R.E. , Manktelow D.W. , May B. , Max S.
Published: October 2019

The use of air inclusion nozzles on airblast sprayers markedly reduced offtarget spray drift in applications to dormant kiwifruit vines The addition of a new driftreducing adjuvant at rates of ge;50 ml/100 litres maintained cane deposits at levels similar to those of conventional cone nozzle applications The addition of the adjuvant at rates above 100 ml/100 litres improved drift control in higher winds (ca 2 m/s) Prescriptions for AI nozzles and adjuvant use have been included in Best Practice Spraying Guidelines for New Zealand kiwifruit growers Industry uptake was ca 40 by kiwifruit spraying contractors in the 2007 season and is expected to increase to >80 by 2009
European earwig as a potential biological control agent of apple leafcurling midge
Authors: He X.Z. , Wang Q. , Xu J.
Published: October 2019

The European earwig Forficula auricularia L is an important predator of aphids and scales in New Zealand apple orchards To determine whether European earwig acted as a biological control agent of apple leafcurling midge (ALCM) Dasineura mali Kieffer their prey searching and feeding activity was investigated in the field and laboratory In the field in January earwigs started to leave their shelters at about 920 pm to search for ALCM larvae and returned to the shelters before 535 am with a searching peak on apple shoots infested by ALCM larvae between 1030 pm and 130 am Significantly more ALCM infested shoots and leaves were bitten by earwigs on trees where shelters trapped earwigs than on those where shelters did not trap any earwigs In the laboratory earwigs mainly fed in the first 2 hours after lightoff and each adult consumed an average of 6770 318 mature ALCM larvae during the scotophase (8 h) Heavier earwigs consumed significantly more ALCM larvae than light ones
Isolation of copper and streptomycin resistant phytopathogenic Pseudomonas syringae from lakes and rivers in the central North Island of New Zealand
Authors: Vanneste J.L. , Cornish D.A. , Yu J. , Boyd R.J. , Morris C.E.
Published: October 2019

Plant pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas syringae were isolated from lakes and rivers in the central North Island of New Zealand These strains were identified by their ability to produce a fluorescent pigment on a modified Kings B medium by their ability to cause a hypersensitive reaction when infiltrated into tobacco plant and by the absence of a cytochrome c oxidase Different aspects of the protocol used to isolate these strains have been assessed Some of the strains isolated and in some cases the majority of them were resistant to copper and/or streptomycin Significantly these plant pathogenic bacteria were isolated from waterways in areas where no agriculture or horticulture is present and waterways used for crop irrigation These results suggest that natural waterways could be a source of inoculum of plant pathogenic bacteria and a source of genes that confer streptomycin resistance and/or copper resistance to these bacteria
Detection of Armillaria basidiospore dispersal
Authors: Power M.W.P. , Ramsfield T.D. , Hood I.A.
Published: October 2019

This study used a molecular technique to identify airborne basidiospores caught using a SporeWatch volumetric spore trap in order to understand the nature of basidiospore dispersal by Armillaria novaezelandiae The spore trap was deployed during 3 successive years year 1 within a mature podocarphardwood forest containing fruitbodies of A novaezelandiae year 2 in the open at the edge of the forest and year 3 150 m from the forest edge Results indicated that although a high proportion of Armillaria basidiospores were trapped within the forest by screening and reduced air currents others escaped and were dispersed beyond the stand edge Year 1 results showed the presence of A novaezelandiae on 63 of days while A novaezelandiae was recorded on 11 and 20 of days in years 2 and 3 respectively Sensitivity analysis of the molecular technique that was used indicated that the minimum detectable basidiospore concentration was 110 basidiospores/l or about 1 pg/l of DNA
Assessing the effect of Essigella californica on Pinus radiata at two sites in New Zealand
Authors: Watson M.C. , Kriticos D.J. , Drayton G.M. , Teulon D.A.J , Brockerhoff E.G.
Published: October 2019

The impact of the exotic aphid Essigella californica (Essig) on the health and growth of Pinus radiata DDon in New Zealand was examined by comparing trees treated with a systemic insecticide with untreated trees at two climatically contrasting sites over three seasons (20062008) Upper crown yellowing thought to be associated with E californica was not affected by insecticide treatment However on insecticidetreated trees aphid numbers were reduced and tree diameter increased in the final year at both sites Significantly more aphids were recorded at McLeans Island Forest than Kaingaroa Forest in all years The incidence of the needlecast fungus (Cyclaneusma minus) was also greater at McLeans Island in support of a possible relationship between E californica and C minus Compared with its effect in Australia E californica appears to have a low pest status in New Zealand
Distribution and current status of natural enemies of Paropsis charybdis in New Zealand
Authors: Murray T.J. , Withers T.M. , Mansfield S. , Bain J.
Published: October 2019

In the 1970s and 1980s two natural enemies of the eucalyptus tortoise beetle Paropsis charybdis an invasive pest from Australia were established in New Zealand Cleobora mellyi (Coccinellidae) remained localised to the Marlborough Sounds but Enoggera nassaui (Pteromalidae) showed a significant impact and spread throughout the country A selfintroduced hyperparasitoid Baeoanusia albifunicle (Encyrtidae) has recently disrupted the biological control of P charybdis by E nassaui Another selfintroduced parasitoid Neopolycystus insectifurax (Pteromalidae) has also appeared As the distributions of the three parasitoids and C mellyi throughout the eucalypt growing areas of New Zealand were largely unknown historical records were reviewed and a field survey of selected areas was carried out The three parasitoids are widely distributed and despite some recent inundative releases of C mellyi it does not appear to have established in other geographical areas yet The effectiveness of the biocontrol agents against P charybdis will be the focus of future research
Comparisons of traps and lures for monitoring grass grub Costelytra zealandica
Authors: Unelius C.R. , Townsend R.J. , Mundy D.C. , Manning L.M. , Jackson T.A. , Suckling D.M.
Published: October 2019

Phenol the attractant pheromone of adult males of the native New Zealand grass grub Costelytra zealandica (White) is produced in the beetles as the result of bacterial degradation of tyrosine A lure consisting of a resin impregnated with phenol has been widely used to monitor male beetle flight activity The present formulation is highly attractive for the first week in the field but then loses activity rapidly A number of phenolcontaining formulations were tested to improve the lure A new formulation gave lower catches that were more stable with time producing data more suitable for population density estimation Phenylacetaldehyde a bacterial metabolite of phenylalanine was tested as a possible synergist to phenol Field results showed that this floral compound exhibited no behaviourallyactive properties to grass grubs when tested together with phenol Catches with water traps were compared with those in sticky delta and flat delta traps in two vineyards and in pasture Water traps caught four times more beetles
Testing the effectiveness of disinfectant protocols for soiled footwear
Authors: Young S.D. , McNeill M.R. , Saville D.J.
Published: October 2019

Footwear carried by international air travellers arriving in New Zealand is subject to inspection and if necessary cleaning and disinfecting by MAFBNZ quarantine inspectors A study to evaluate the effectiveness of disinfectant treatment was carried out on three different types of footwear (running shoes gumboots and tramping boots) cleaned following observed MAFBNZ procedure (dip) and following a 10 minute soak Two disinfectant treatments (VirkonTM and TriGene AdvanceTM) were compared with a surfactant (polysorbate 80) and water only Soles were swabbed for microbes before and after washing and culturable bacteria and fungi per cm2 were enumerated Disinfectant treatments reduced bacteria numbers by 99 compared with 98 for both water and surfactant treatments VirkonTM was the best treatment for bacteria both with the standard dip and the 10 minute soak but it was not significantly better than the other treatments Soaking also reduced bacterial numbers compared to the dip treatment but not significantly For fungi the two disinfectants surfactant and water yielded similar reductions (97) Soaking reduced fungal numbers compared to the dip treatment but this was not quite significant (P0051)
Database tools for risk analysis of fungal plant pathogen incursions into New Zealand
Authors: Everett K.R. , Pushparajah I.P.S. , Viljanen-Rollinson S.L.H. , Marroni M.V.
Published: October 2019

A prototype database has been developed to provide an uptodate New Zealandspecific resource for use by risk assessors An updated list of biosecurity risk plant fungal pathogens has been compiled for apples grapes kiwifruit barley wheat and potato crops Based on analysis of the literature the most important factors for risk assessments for fungal plant pathogen incursions are for rusts proximity to New Zealand of the disease source and for other fungi the presence in the source country of biosecurity risk pathogens Pathway analysis (including wind pattern modelling for rust incursions) is also an important component of risk assessment For both groups of fungi to determine the risk of establishment and invasiveness the climatic parameters (temperature and humidity) for spore germination and infection are required The economic impact of specific incursions has also been estimated All these factors have been included in the database and the risks of incursions have been calculated on this basis
A new lure for Thrips major
Authors: Teulon D.A.J. , Nielsen M-C. , Kogel W.J. De , Van_Tol R.W.H.M. , Davidson M.M.
Published: October 2019

The addition of either a prototype lure or a commercially available lure LUREMTR increased capture of the pest Thrips major Uzel on sticky traps in a commercial greenhouse and an outdoor crop in the Netherlands This pest species is widespread throughout Europe but has not yet been confirmed present in New Zealand In greenhouses of capsicum sticky traps with a prototype lure caught between 12 to 60 times more T major compared to traps without the prototype lure In an outdoor crop of leek traps with the commercial lure LUREMTR caught between 2 to 13 times more T major than traps without the lure Thrips major breeds on a range of flowering plants and has been implicated in fruit loss in nectarine peach and strawberries Thrips major can cause extensive damage through feeding and ovipositioning although it has not been found to vector tospoviruses
Host variation in Pinus radiata in response to inoculation with Neonectria fuckeliana
Authors: Dick M.A. , Hopkins A.J.M. , Power M.W.P.
Published: October 2019

Neonectria fuckeliana causes a stem canker (Nectria flute canker) of plantationgrown Pinus radiata in southern regions of the South Island of New Zealand Initiation of disease is primarily associated with pruning operations and modification of pruning regimes has led to a reduction in disease incidence Factors that influence establishment of infection and symptom expression are being examined In one trial in which 50 trees were challenged with three different conidial concentrations individual trees varied markedly in their response to inoculation Twentytwo percent of controls (wounds inoculated with sterile water) developed depressions that resembled small cankers Six percent of the trees did not develop cankers at any concentration when inoculated with conidiospore solutions Fortyeight percent responded with increasing canker length with increasing dose and in 26 of trees severe cankering developed at all inoculum concentrations Perithecial formation on the cankers was correlated with canker severity Host genotype is being examined further with the goal of identifying families that contribute to susceptibility to canker formation
New host association for Sirex noctilio and Amylostereum areolatum on Cedrus atlantica
Authors: Burnip G.M. , Harvey I.C. , Voice D. , Braithwaite M.
Published: October 2019

Wood boring larvae considered to be Sirex wood wasp were found together with its symbiot the pathogenic Amylostereum fungi associated with ca 20 dead and dying cedar trees at a Christchurch golf club MAF Biosecurity New Zealand was contacted because it was thought that the Sirex was possibly a species not present in New Zealand such as Sirex juvencus or Urocerus gigas (both high impact forest pests) since the single Sirex species present here (Sirex noctilio) had not previously been recorded attacking Cedrus sp (cedar) in New Zealand or elsewhere Furthermore if the Sirex was a recent incursion of a new to New Zealand species the Amylostereum fungi might also have been an exotic species Further examinations revealed a single adult Sirex (live preemergence) within a larval tunnel This allowed definitive morphological identification as Sirex noctilio the species already present in New Zealand Molecular diagnostics (direct sequencing) determined the fungi to be Amylostereum areolatum; the Amylostereum fungi commonly found in association with Sirex noctilio in New Zealand Pinus spp Investigations suggest tree stress (probably nontarget herbicide impacts) resulted in the cedar becoming susceptible to Sirex noctilio attack This represents a new record of association between Sirex noctilio and Amylostereum areolatum on Cedrus atlantica host
Vegetation successions over 30 years of high country grassland invasion by Pinus contorta
Authors: Ledgard N.J. , Paul T.S.H.
Published: October 2019

The invasion of a high country grassland site (850 m asl) by lodgepole or contorta pine (Pinus contorta Dougl) wildings was monitored over 32 years in the Craigieburn Range Canterbury The first wildings appeared in 1975 By 1985 density had reached 34550 stems/ha with a mean height of 185 m and a basal area of 17 m2/ha By 2007 stocking had dropped to 11400 stems/ha with a mean top height of 143 m and a basal area of 104 m2/ha Thirtyeight plant species were present 10 years after wilding invasion started Twentysix species (68) were indigenous By 2007 the number of species present had dropped to seven none of which were indigenous The introduced tussock hawkweed (Hieracium lepidulum) featured in both assessments It was concluded that more species are likely to invade as the canopy opens up but if native species are wanted they may have to be introduced by artificial seeding
Weed cover unaffected after converting a dairy farm to organic production
Authors: Harrington K.C. , Osborne M.A. , Kemp P.D.
Published: October 2019

One half of a Massey University dairy farm was converted to an organic production system in 2001 and the other half continued to be farmed as a conventional unit Aspects of these two systems have been compared over the subsequent years including the weed flora measured twice a year since 2003 along set transects within each system Overall there has been no significant increase in the weed cover of the organic pastures during the 4 years since measurements began With both systems pasture weediness increased mainly after new pastures were established Although selective herbicides could be used in the conventional system to reduce this weediness the weed content quickly decreased to tolerable levels in the organic system through grazing management Hairy buttercup (Ranunculus sardous) and broadleaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) were the two dominant species in both systems and factors that influenced which species dominated are discussed
Technologies to maximise preflower spray applications to control scale on kiwifruit
Authors: Gaskin R.E. , Manktelow D.W.L. , May W. , Steele K.D.
Published: October 2019

The control of scale insects (Diaspididae) on kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) is difficult because scale inhabit sites not easily accessed by sprays Early spring insecticide applications which target scale living on the bark of canes and leader wood are vital to reduce populations prior to summer This study identified firstly that targeted Masotti gun dilute spray applications increased deposits on leader vines by approximately 30 which should result in improved scale control Secondly using the Masotti technology sprays applied at 2x concentrate with the addition of a superspreader adjuvant increased deposits on leader wood by >60 compared with standard volumes The use of Masotti guns concentrate spray applications and adjuvant addition did not increase offtarget spray drift and often reduced it in moderate winds Adjuvant cost can be offset against increases in workrate efficiency for concentrate sprays and increased deposits and target coverage are expected to improve scale control on kiwifruit leader vines from preflower spray applications
Development of a tomato/root knot nematode bioassay to screen beneficial microbes
Authors: Aalders L.T. , Minchin R. , Hill R.A. , Braithwaite M. , Bell N.L. , Stewart A.
Published: October 2019

In common with other root knot nematodes Meloidogyne hapla is a serious plant pest A rapid screening system for candidate microbes that benefit plant growth is a first step to developing screening bioassays in other plantnematode systems Cultures of M hapla established on tomatoes were used to define the nematode damage function and required bioassay duration for this plantpest system followed by scaleup to a glasshouse level The quantities of Meloidogyne inoculum were chosen such that they would cause minor moderate or severe plant damage; hence the degree of protection afforded by the microbes in bioassays could be readily evaluated An inoculation rate of 3542 eggs/plant caused a significant reduction in shoot weight (30) and an increase in root galling in excess of 50 Percentage of root gall and root gall index were good indicators of nematode impact and provide a relatively quick method of assessment
Safety in New Zealand weed biocontrol a nationwide pathogen survey for impacts on nontarget plants
Authors: Waipara N.W. , Barton J. , Smith L.A. , Harman H.M. , Winks C.J. , Massey B. , Wilkie J.P. , Gianotti A.F. , Cripps M.G.
Published: October 2019

The accuracy of host range testing in weed biocontrol programmes using plant pathogens has been questioned prompting a research programme into the field safety record of pathogens used for weed biocontrol in New Zealand Nationwide disease surveys were conducted from 20002009 and focused on species closely related to target weeds and therefore potentially most at risk of attack These surveys identified pathogens associated with any disease symptoms observed on nontarget hosts Disease damage attributable to biocontrol agents was observed on two nontarget plants Pustules of the blackberry rust Phragmidium violaceum were found on the endemic Rubus species R cissoides (bush lawyer tataramoa) at one location This result was predicted from host range safety tests conducted prior to its arrival in New Zealand No nontarget damage was observed in the remaining case studies confirming to date that all biocontrol pathogens are highly host specific to their target weeds
Attraction of adult Costelytra zealandica to 4hydroxybenzaldehyde
Authors: Chapman R.B.
Published: October 2019

Field experiments were conducted to determine the attraction of adult Costelytra zealandica (White) to phenol the sex pheromone for this species and the phenolic aldehyde 4hydroxybenzaldehyde when presented separately and in a mixture in traps Aqueous phenol and 4hydroxybenzaldehyde in acetone were equally attractive to beetles when presented separately in traps; a mixture of aqueous phenol and 4hydroxybenzaldehyde in acetone also attracted similar numbers of beetles to either chemical alone When the two chemicals were presented in separate tubes in the same trap ca 2fold greater numbers of beetles were attracted than with either component alone Supplementary experiments showed solvent type and age of solution had no influence on the attractiveness of 4hydroxybenzaldehyde when presented alone in traps A possible explanation for the role of 4hydroxybenzaldehyde a component of some host plants of C zealandica acting in concert with the sex pheromone of this species is briefly discussed
Giant buttercup (Ranunculus acris L) seedling emergence and survival in Golden Bay dairy pastures
Authors: Lusk C.S. , Lamoureaux S.L. , Bourd?t G.W.
Published: October 2019

Giant buttercup (Ranunculus acris L) is an unpalatable weed in New Zealand dairy pastures and is estimated to cost the dairy industry over 150 million annually in lost milk solids revenue In this study the survival of giant buttercup seedlings was determined by following their fates in permanent plots on eight randomly selected dairy farms in the Takaka Valley from November 2004 to August 2008 Seedling emergence occurred yearround but tended to be higher in winter and spring than in summer and autumn Seedling survival was very low with less than 5 of seedlings surviving beyond 12 months Seedlings that germinated in autumn had significantly higher survival at 6 and 12 months (22 and 12 respectively) than seedlings germinating in spring summer and winter (37 and 23 respectively) Good pasture management that prevents overgrazing and pugging in autumn and winter should reduce the autumn flush of seedlings and minimise their survival
Earlyseason use of insecticides for management of woolly apple aphid (Eriosoma lanigerum) in Nelson apple orchards
Authors: Shaw P.W. , Wallis D.R.
Published: October 2019

A spray strategy to control woolly apple aphid (Eriosoma lanigerum WAA) was assessed on apple orchards in Nelson Carbaryl applied for fruit thinning was either sprayed alone or combined with diazinon on Braeburn apples at four orchard sites infested with WAA The diazinon plus carbaryl treatment reduced WAA levels and there were lower numbers of WAAinfested shoots with considerably fewer colonies on branches and shoots in November Numbers of WAA colonies on shoots in January were 50 lower overall in the diazinon plus carbaryl treatment There was an initial decline in numbers of the WAA parasitoid Aphelinus mali in both treatments but they increased steadily during the season and high levels of parasitism were evident by harvest The parasitoid was able to suppress the lower populations of WAA in the diazinon plus carbaryl treatment and this resulted in significantly lower levels of WAA shoot and fruit infestation and bud damage in late March
Maximising the effectiveness of insecticides to control mealybugs in vineyards
Authors: Lo P.L. , Bell V.A. , Walker J.T.S.
Published: October 2019

Mealybugs (Hemiptera Pseudococcidae) are the most important insect pests in New Zealand vineyards because they vector grapevine leafroll virus which seriously debilitates vines and reduces wine quality A field trial was conducted on a commercial vineyard using the insecticides prothiofos (Tokuthion) and buprofezin (Applaudtrade;) Factors tested were the timing and number of applications water rate (250 500 or 1000 litres/ha) and inclusion of an alkylsilicone or organosilicone spreadertype adjuvant Prothiofos was applied in late September (late dormant) while buprofezin was sprayed at late dormant mid October and late November (preflowering) The best treatments for reducing mealybug numbers and proportion of infested leaves were prothiofos at late dormant and two later applications of buprofezin Two applications of buprofezin were more effective than one more than halving the number of mealybugs A water rate of 500 litres/ha was equally as effective as 1000 litres/ha None of the three adjuvants improved the efficacy of prothiofos or buprofezin
Miticides against citrus red mites (Panonychus citri)
Authors: Jamieson L.E. , Stevens P.S.
Published: October 2019

Citrus red mite (CRM) Panonychus citri is only a significant pest of citrus in New Zealand when the broadspectrum activity of insecticides targeting other key pests disrupts the activity of its natural enemies The longterm solution to CRM control is to eliminate the use of disruptive agrichemicals but until this happens effective miticides are needed to control CRM Two smallplot field trials were conducted in 2004 and 2005 in a lemon orchard in Kerikeri In the first trial two applications of milbemectin abamectin fenpyroximate or propargite were effective against eggs and motile life stages Oil at 1 was not as effective as milbemectin at suppressing the incidence of eggs on leaves 6 weeks after application but was more effective than a 05 rate In the second trial the Stethorus sp ladybird and Agistemus longisetus predatory mite reduced CRM populations in both unsprayed trees and trees treated with miticides
Survey of blueberry farms for Botryosphaeria dieback and crown rot pathogens
Authors: Sammonds J. , Billones R. , Ridgway H.J. , Walter M. , Jaspers M.V.
Published: October 2019

Dieback and crown rot affect about 18 of blueberry plants in the main New Zealand production areas costing about 500000 annually due to yield losses and replanting costs Samples of symptomatic plants and stems were collected from six blueberry farms in the central North Island to determine which pathogens were responsible From the 70 plants collected numerous isolations from branch bases and tips stem lesions and crowns revealed the apparent presence of Botryosphaeria species in 69 645 543 and 70 of samples respectively These Botryosphaeria spp were also found in a few roots and leaves but not fruit from symptomatic plants nor in healthy asymptomatic stems Morphological examination of conidia from 40 cultures identified B lutea B parva B lutea/australis and B obtusa with one unidentified Botryosphaeria species apparently of the Neofusicoccum type Molecular identification of 14 representative isolates from these 40 confirmed the presence of B lutea B parva and B australis
An examination of assessor variation during spore counting on spore traps of Neonectria fuckeliana
Authors: Hopkins A.J.M. , Dick M.A.
Published: October 2019

In an investigation of the forest fungus Neonectria fuckeliana ascospores from the air were trapped on petroleum jellycoated glass slides that were replaced weekly for a year To determine variation in spore counts between assessors examining the spore traps four assessors counted the same ten spore traps and spore numbers were compared Results were highly variable between assessors with almost 100 ascospores (54 of the higher count) being the difference between the highest and lowest counts for a single trap in one extreme case To explore sources of assessor variation the four assessors also counted the same five single transects of a spore trap and results were still highly variable Two possible sources of variation identified were poor visualisation of ascospores and misidentification of ascospores Potential solutions to assessor variability include further training using multiple assessors for each trap and calibrating assessors Molecular techniques could also be used to quantify spore numbers
Towards better mitigation technologies for invasive wasps Vespula spp
Authors: Brownbridge M. , Toft R. , Rees J. , Nelson T.L. , Bunt C.
Published: October 2019

Exotic social insects are a major threat to New Zealands natural and agroecosystems Social wasps (Vespula vulgaris V germanica) in particular have had devastating effects in native forests and have displaced indigenous fauna through their predatory and polyphagous feeding habits High nest densities also limit access to and use of wilderness areas Insecticidal baits can reduce wasp populations for the short term on a local scale but contain potent toxins that pose environmental risks Novel baiting technologies are urgently needed by DOC and Regional Councils for use in conservation areas Baits must be palatable to Vespula spp and enable prolonged delivery of an efficacious yet selective control agent to the nest Using appropriate preservatives and humectants the field life of a protein bait was extended to 4 days without compromising its acceptance by foraging wasps Incorporation of waspactive isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana into the baits did not affect their attractiveness to wasps; nest traffic rates were significantly reduced by the Metarhizium treatment and infected larvae were recovered from nests exposed to each fungal treatment demonstrating the potential utility of this approach in a wasp mitigation strategy
Evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for susceptibility to tuber soft rot induced by Erwinia carotovora subsp atroseptica
Authors: Jeram M. , Wright P.J. , Anderson J.A.D. , Lewthwaite S.L.
Published: October 2019

Bacterial soft rot of potato tubers in storage is an economically important postharvest disease worldwide Disease control measures include reduction of tuber damage at harvest provision of suitable storage conditions and breeding of resistant cultivars Tubers of 18 potato cultivars and breeding lines were assessed for susceptibility to infection by Erwinia carotovora subsp atroseptica (Eca) over three maincrop seasons between 2003 and 2007 Susceptibility to Ecainduced soft rot was determined by measuring the weight of rotted tissue in anaerobically incubated whole tubers 7 days after inoculation with Eca Potato lines differed in susceptibility to soft rot by a factor of >37 (weight of rotted tissue) Cultivars Crop 28 Ilam Hardy and 30975 were highly susceptible and 065/27 Crop 15 and Crop 16 were least susceptible to Ecainduced soft rot As a consequence of these trials several of these lines are now being used in Plant Food Researchs potato breeding programme in order to develop cultivars with lower soft rot susceptibility than cultivars currently grown
Rapid response to intercepted mushroom spawn
Authors: Romberg M.K. , Thomas K.L. , Griffin R.L. , Alexander B.J.R.
Published: October 2019

On 3 December 2008 an undeclared and mislabelled package destined for a mushroom production facility was intercepted at an Auckland courier depot Upon Xray and subsequent inspection the package was found to contain two mushroom (mycelia) logs A site investigation at the address of the intended recipients was conducted by MAFBNZ on 8 December 2008 and mushroom fruiting bodies and spawn were collected Subsequent information determined that the unsolicited parcel was an aggressive marketing campaign by a company in China The mushroom producer was targeted after the companys contact details were obtained from the internet Based on the DNA sequence of the ITS region all mushroom material from the NZ production facility was identified as Pleurotus pulmonarius a species grown commercially in New Zealand as oyster mushrooms The spawn intercepted at the courier depot was shown to be closely aligned to Pleurotus eryngii In 2005 the mushroom P eryngii was determined to be a new organism (Hazardous Substances and New Organism Act 1996) and unauthorised production at another mushroom facility was halted Overseas P eryngii or king oyster mushroom is a highly prized delicacy however unlike most Pleurotus species which colonise dead tissues P eryngii can grow as a parasite on living plants No other pests or pathogens of commercial mushrooms were detected in the intercepted parcel
Reducing rate of Australian Eucalyptus insects invading New Zealand
Authors: Withers T.M. , Bain J.
Published: October 2019

Trees in the introduced genus Eucalyptus form an important part of New Zealands flora Since the 1860s Australian insects have steadily colonised this resource in this novel habitat There are now 28 specialist eucalypt insect species and approximately another 30 more polyphagous insect species that may feed on Eucalyptus spp established in New Zealand Throughout the 1990s the rate at which these insects had invaded New Zealand reached a peak of one insect every 18 months This study shows how the invasion rate appears to have dropped to one insect every five years Since 2000 only two new eucalyptus pests have established both being psyllids first identified in 2002 Creiis liturata (Froggatt) and Anoeconeossa communis Taylor The eucalyptspecific insect invaders are now dominated by sapsucking bugs particularly psyllids It may be that this group of insects is being dispersed the 1800 km by aerial flight a natural pathway that will not be able to be closed
Would St Johns wort beetles have been introduced to New Zealand nowadays
Authors: Groenteman R. , Fowler S.V. , Sullivan J.J.
Published: October 2019

The classical biological control programme against St Johns wort (hereafter SJW) Hypericum perforatum is considered one of the greatest success stories in New Zealands history of weed biocontrol The first biocontrol agent the lesser SJW beetle Chrysolina hyperici (Coleoptera Chrysomelidae) was introduced to New Zealand in 1943 following hostrange testing in Australia which as an acceptable standard at the time did not include indigenous plant species No further hostrange testing was carried out in New Zealand Introduction of the greater SJW beetle C quadrigemina and the gall midge Zeuxidiplosis giardi followed in the 1960s The introduction of SJW beetles was re examined in the light of current hostrange testing standards In host specificity testing SJW beetle larval feeding and adult oviposition took place on indigenous Hypericum spp in both nochoice and choice tests clearly suggesting that these highly effective agents would have been considered unsafe for introduction to New Zealand under current standards Preliminary field observations suggest however that the risk to indigenous Hypericum spp is minimal raising an inevitable dilemma while safety in current host range testing is extremely high are we more likely to reject potentially effective agents through falsepositives expressed in our artificial testing arenas
Germination of seed from five broadleaf weeds after burial for up to 28 years in two soils
Authors: James T.K. , Rahman A. , Trivedi P.
Published: October 2019

Some herbaceous broadleaf weed species are major weeds of pastures and are difficult to manage with ongoing reinfestation from the persistent soil weed seedbank In this study seeds from five weed species were collected in 2009 from two sites where they had been buried at three depths since 1981 The species were Scotch thistle (Cirsium vulgare) Californian thistle (Cirsium arvense) nodding thistle (Carduus nutans) ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) and giant buttercup (Ranunculus acris) Very few of the seeds were viable after being buried for 28 years in a clay soil while in a sandy soil seeds of the three thistle species remained viable when buried at 200 mm depth It is estimated that these seeds may remain viable for up to 66 years
Influence of multiple mating on female reproductive fitness in the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae
Authors: Flay C.D. , He X.Z. , Wang Q.
Published: October 2019

The rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L) (Coleoptera Curculionidae) is an important pest of stored grains throughout the world This paper examined how multiple mating affected female reproductive fitness in the laboratory Over 60 days females that permanently paired with males mated twice with different males or four times with the same males did not suffer from significant decline of offspring survival while females mated once twice with the same males and four times with different males had significant declines It is suggested that mating once or twice with the same males is not enough for females to maximise their reproductive fitness The significant decline of offspring survival in females that mated with four different males may be caused by reproductive organ damage or other factors that reduce their fertility due to excessive polyandry
Effect of food supply on reproductive potential of Eretmocerus warrae (Hymenoptera Aphelinidae)
Authors: Hanan A. , He X.Z. , Shakeel M. , Wang Q.
Published: October 2019

Eretmocerus warrae (Naumann Schmit) is a thelytokous parasitoid of greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) It was first detected in New Zealand in 1997 during a survey of greenhouses in Auckland Under 221C 605 RH and 168 h lightdark the effect of food supply on longevity host feeding fecundity and parasitism in E warrae was investigated with four treatments (1) no food and no host (2) 10 honey solution and no host (3) 40 2nd instar nymphs per day and no honey and (4) 40 2nd instar nymphs per day and 10 honey solution Results showed that parasitoids lived significantly longer when given honey but no host (88 days) than parasitoids given the other treatments (2555 days) (P
Adjuvant effects on the retention and uptake of spirotetramat insecticide sprays on kiwifruit
Authors: Gaskin R.E. , Horgan D.B. , Van_Leeuwen R.M. , Manktelow D.W.
Published: October 2019

Spirotetramat (Movento) is a systemic insecticide that can control scale insects on kiwifruit It must be tankmixed with a spray adjuvant to maximise leaf uptake This study investigated how two adjuvants a penetrating oil and a superspreader affected spray retention and uptake of spirotetramat into kiwifruit leaves from dilute and concentrated spray mixes Spray retention and distribution of airblastapplied high volume dilute sprays containing the oil adjuvant were good but retention was reduced when sprays were concentrated Concentrated sprays containing the superspreader adjuvant were retained and distributed similarly to the dilute sprays containing oil adjuvant Spirotetramat uptake into foliage was generally low but was greater with the oil penetrant than with the superspreader Concentrating sprays and increasing adjuvant concentrations could increase insecticide uptake as could combining the two adjuvants together in a spray The potential of the adjuvants to maximise spirotetramat efficacy in concentrate sprays and to reduce residues at harvest is discussed
Detecting benzimidazole resistance in Botrytis allii using molecular techniques
Authors: Khan M-I. , Bulman S.R. , Viljanen-Rollinson S.L.H. , Marroni V.M. , Scott I.A.W.
Published: October 2019

Neck rot caused by Botrytis allii is an important storage disease of onions Fungicides including benzimidazoles have been used as seed treatments and crop applications to control this disease during seed and bulb production Resistance to benzimidazole fungicides has been previously reported in B allii from New Zealand Five sensitive and five resistant isolates of the pathogen were grown in culture for DNA extraction and analysis of sequences of 946;tubulin fragments Sequence analysis revealed a single point mutation in the 946;tubulin gene in the resistant isolates PCR primers to detect the mutation were designed and tested and these clearly differentiated resistant from sensitive isolates The PCR test developed in this study will allow rapid and costeffective screening of B allii isolates to determine their sensitivity to benzimidazole fungicides The test provides technology that will assist in the development of fungicide resistance management tools for onion crops
Persistence of residual herbicides for preventing establishment of broom (Cytisus scoparius) seedlings
Authors: Tran H. , Harrington K.C. , Robertson A.W. , Watt M.S.
Published: October 2019

A bioassay tested how long after application that residual herbicides used in forestry continue to suppress or kill broom (Cytisus scoparius) seedlings Eleven herbicide treatments were applied to small plots of Tokomaru silt loam soil near Palmerston North on 4 December 2008 Soil samples were taken fortnightly until herbicide residues no longer affected broom seedlings The samples were placed into pots and sown with scarified viable broom seeds within a heated glasshouse Herbicide effects were determined by scoring the severity of damage to seedlings and measuring seedling dry weight; these were compared with broom seedlings established at the same time in untreated soil The most persistent residues came from triclopyr/picloram applications which killed broom seedlings for 5 months after application and then suppressed growth of seedlings for a further 7 months Broom seedling death also continued for 45 months for hexazinone application for 2 months with clopyralid and terbuthylazine residues and for less than a month after triclopyr and metsulfuron treatments With all herbicide treatments there was a period of several weeks or months after the time that seedlings could germinate successfully when the residues were still sufficiently high to stunt development of new broom seedlings
Current status of classical biological control of Cirsium arvense in New Zealand
Authors: Cripps M.G. , Bourd?t G.W. , Fowler S.V. , Edwards G.R.
Published: October 2019

Cirsium arvense (L) Scop (Californian Canada or creeping thistle) is an exotic perennial herb that successfully established in New Zealand (NZ) approximately 130 years ago and is now considered one of the worst invasive weeds in NZ arable and pastoral systems Two insects Cassida rubiginosa and Ceratapion onopordi were recently released for classical biological control Studies carried out from 2006 to 2009 in both the native (Europe) and introduced (NZ) ranges of the plant aimed to quantify C arvense growth characteristics and assess incidence of the specialised rust pathogen Puccinia punctiformis in regions with and without the supposed pathogen vector C onopordi In permanent field plots natural enemies were excluded with insecticides and fungicides and compared with controls The impact of C rubiginosa was also assessed under different pasture competition scenarios The survey data indicate that C arvense expresses similar growth characteristics in both ranges and that incidence of the rust pathogen is similar in both ranges regardless of the presence of C onopordi The data suggest that the overall suite of natural enemies is capable of exerting some regulating influence on the plant in its native range but that the released biocontrol agents will not likely have a significant impact on this weed in NZ
Calcium chloride against black spot on apples
Authors: Boyd-Wilson K.S.H. , Butler R.C. , Walter M.
Published: October 2019

Calcium chloride which is classified as generally recognised as safe (GRAS) under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2001 has potential for use in an organic apple production system against black spot (Venturia inaequalis) The effectiveness of calcium chloride on control of black spot was evaluated in a field trial over the 2007/2008 growing season Calcium chloride was applied 10 times over the season at the commerciallyrecommended rate of 033 kg product/100 litres or at 2 kg/100 litres (the latter treatment was halved after two applications due to foliar damage) At harvest fruit treated with the high rate of calcium chloride had a lower disease incidence of 41 than the water control which had 97 incidence (P
Parasitism and mating of Diaeretiella rapae (Hymenoptera Aphidiidae) in an uncontrolled environment
Authors: Kant R. , Minor M.A. , Trewick S.A. , Sandanayaka W.R.M.
Published: October 2019

Parasitism and mating activities of Diaeretiella rapae were studied in a shadehouse under ambient environmental conditions during September (early spring) and November (late spring) Before collecting the data the parasitoid and its aphid host colonies were left to develop undisturbed on cabbage seedlings for 3 months in about 25 m2 area The plants were highly infested with aphids (average 27225 aphids/plant) and parasitism by D rapae varied between 25 and 36 during the study period There was no significant change in parasitism rate during the 10week study period (P069) Adult parasitoids emerged from aphid mummies at a rate of more than 90 with a higher number of females than males The mean female/male parasitoid sex ratio was greater in the second 5week (late spring) than the early 5week period (early spring) (P