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Research Project: Biological Control of Invasive Arthropod Pests from the Eastern Hemisphere

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Title: The distribution of the invasive pest, rice water weevil Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is expanding in Europe: First record in the Balkans, confirmed by CO1 DNA barcoding

Author
item GIANTSIS, IOANNIS - Perrotis College
item SIERRA, JAVIER - Universitat De Lleida
item CHASKOPOULOU, ALEXANDRA - European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL)

Submitted to: Phytoparasitica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2017
Publication Date: 4/1/2017
Citation: Giantsis, I., Sierra, J.C., Chaskopoulou, A. 2017. The distribution of the invasive pest, rice water weevil Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is expanding in Europe: First record in the Balkans, confirmed by CO1 DNA barcoding. Phytoparasitica. 45: 147. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-017-0576-z.

Interpretive Summary: The rice water weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus) is a semi-aquatic beetle that is considered one of the most important pests of rice globally. In the USA it causes reductions in yield that range from 10% in Arkansas to 33% in California. Both larvae and adults attack the rice plant. Adults feed on the leaves, while larvae feed on the roots reducing the root system to the extent that plants can be easily uprooted by the wind. This insect is native to North America but it has become established in other countries. We found this weevil in flooded rice fields in northern Greece, which represents the first report in Europe outside of Italy. The range expansion of this pest may result in significant yield and economic losses in rice production in this region. Monitoring the distribution range of this species will help increase our understanding of its ecology and may lead to discovering new control strategies. This is the first report of this species in the Balkans.

Technical Abstract: This is the first report of the invasive rice pest, rice water weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel) in the Balkans. Adult specimens were collected in flooded rice fields in the principal rice-growing region of Central Macedonia, Greece during July-August, 2016. Morphological identification was verified by DNA barcoding, and the first COI sequence of L. oryzophilus from Greece was deposited in the GenBank database. This semi-aquatic insect is considered one of the most important rice pests globally, and its presence in the region may result in important yield and economic losses in rice production. Considering the highly invasive nature of this species, it is possible that it has spread to neighboring rice wetlands of the Southern Balkans, and additional field investigations should be conducted to determine its geographic distribution and to help contain its spread.