ARS | Publication request: IMPROVING BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF AN INVASIVE PEST WITH MOLECULAR PHYLOGEOGRAPHIC AND POPULATION GENETIC APPROACHES: THE WHEAT STEM SAWFLY, CEPHUS CINCTUS NORTON, (HYMENOPTERA : CEPHIDAE) AS A CASE STUDY

Submitted to: Proceedings from the International Symposium MMH Montpellier
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 15, 2005
Publication Date: October 31, 2005
Citation: Bon, M., Shanower, T.G., Morrill, W., Hoelmer, K.A., Hurard, C., Martin, J. 2005. Improving biological control of an invasive pest with molecular phylogeographic and population genetic approaches: the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton, (Hymenoptera : Cephidae) as a case study. Proceedings from the International Symposium MMH Montpellier. Poster

Technical Abstract: The wheat stem sawfly (WSS), Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) has become a chronic pest of wheat in the semi-arid steppe region of the North American Great Plains. To develop a more general and conceptual framework with predictive value for the biological control of this pest, it is important to clarify the geographical history and population structure of this species so that source areas for biological control agents can be more accurately predicted. In our present work, we conducted a phylogeographical study based on 104 samples from the North American Great Plains. Mitochondrial DNA COI gene sequences uncovered 25 haplotypes. Most populations of C. cinctus showed a high haplotype diversity except those from Canada, and the number of private haplotypes was higher than the number of shared haplotypes in most populations. Only one haplotype was shared by the three geographical areas that are represented by Canada, Montana and Wyoming, North Dakota, Idaho, Nebraska. The AMOVA revealed slight but significant genetic differences among the regions - Canada-Montana and the other states -. Our data suggest that the threat to wheat in the Northern Great Plains is not due to one uniform genetic entity C. cinctus and any biological control effort should be prepared to contend with a genetically diverse C. cinctus spread.