1. Control of the invasive weed Ambrosia artemisiifolia with Ophraella communa and Epiblema strenuana.
- Author
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Zhou, Zhong-Shi, Chen, Hong-Song, Zheng, Xing-Wen, Guo, Jian-Ying, Guo, Wei, Li, Min, Luo, Min, and Wan, Fang-Hao
- Subjects
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AMBROSIA artemisiifolia , *CHRYSOMELIDAE , *RAGWEEDS , *PHYSIOLOGICAL control systems , *BIOLOGICAL invasions - Abstract
Ambrosia artemisiifoliaL. is native to North America, and was unintentionally introduced into China in the 1930s, where it has become invasive. The two insect speciesEpiblema strenuanaandOphraella communahave been considered as biological control agents ofA. artemisiifoliain China. The purpose of this study was to examine the control effect ofO. communa+E. strenuanaonA. artemisiifoliain the field. The mortality ofA. artemisiifoliaplants increased with time and increasing initial release densities ofO. communaand/orE. strenuanain 2008 and 2009. The treatments of 0.53O. communa+ 0.53E. strenuanaper plant and 12O. communa+ 16E. strenuanaper plant at early (60–70 cm tall) and later (90–100 cm tall) growth stages could subsequently kill all plants prior to seed production in both 2008 and 2009. Thus, the two initial densities of the two insect species may be recommended when they are jointly used for biological control ofA. artemisiifoliaat the two growth stages. However, all or some plants could survive and bear seeds in any other treatment and in the non-treated control plots. This implies that biological control ofA. artemisiifoliawith the two biological control agents will be recommended in the areas invaded byA. artemisiifoliain China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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