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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Invasive Species and Pollinator Health » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321140

Title: Are three colonies of Neostromboceros albicomus, a candidate biological control agent for Lygodium microphyllum, the same host biotype?

Author
item Madeira, Paul
item FACEY, JORDAN - St Thomas University
item Pratt, Paul
item MAUL, DORA PILAR - St Thomas University
item Wheeler, Gregory

Submitted to: Biocontrol Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/25/2015
Publication Date: 1/11/2016
Citation: Madeira, P.T., Facey, J., Pratt, P.D., Maul, D., Wheeler, G.S. 2016. Are three colonies of Neostromboceros albicomus, a candidate biological control agent for Lygodium microphyllum, the same host biotype? Biocontrol Science and Technology. 26(3):440-445.

Interpretive Summary: Three colonies of the sawfly Neostromboceros albicomus, a candidate biological control agent of Lygodium microphyllum, were genetically fingerprinted to determine which of two biotypes they represented. The first colony was used for the initial host range testing in 2006. Colonies collected in 2012 and 2014 are currently being used to finalize this testing. All three colonies were collected in Trat Province, Thailand and all three populations show identical sequences to the N. albicomus biotype which prefers L. microphyllum as its host plant. The N. albicomus biotype that uses L. flexuosum as its host plant differs by a single nucleotide, a difference which may reflect cryptic speciation.

Technical Abstract: Three colonies of Neostromboceros albicomus, a candidate biological control agent of Lygodium microphyllum, were barcoded using the D2 expansion domain, to determine which of two biotypes they represented. The first colony, collected in 2005 & 2007, was used for the initial host range testing. Colonies collected in 2012 and 2014 are currently being used to finalize this testing. All three colonies were collected in Trat Province, Thailand and all three populations show identical sequences to the N. albicomus biotype which prefers L. microphyllum as its host plant. The N. albicomus biotype that uses L. flexuosum as its host plant differs by a single nucleotide, a difference which may reflect cryptic speciation.