Location: European Biological Control Laboratory
2018 Annual Report
Accomplishments
1. Assessment of safety of root gall weevil (CEUTORHYNCHUS ASSIMILIS) as a potential biological control agent for the noxious weed, Hoary Cress. Hoary Cress (LEPIDIUM DRABA) has spread throughout the western and northeastern U.S., and is now declared a noxious weed in 14 US states and three Canadian provinces. Host-range tests and molecular genetic studies conducted at the European Biological Control Laboratory in Montpellier, France indicated that a population of the root gall weevil (CEUTORHYNCHUS ASSIMILIS) in southern France is only found on L. draba. Experiments conducted by collaborators at CABI in Switzerland showed a preference by this French weevil for L. draba, especially under choice and open-field conditions, but also evidenced that the weevil was able to develop to adult on 39 species, including three threatened and endangered (T&E) species, and attacked one of the T&E species under multiple-choice conditions. Collectively these experiments lead to the conclusion that this weevil is probably not safe to use for biological control and should be abandoned.
Review Publications
Kellenberger, R., Desurmont, G., Schlueter, P., Shiestl, F. 2018. Trans-generational inheritance of herbivory-induced phenotypic changes in Brassica rapa. Scientific Reports. 8(1), article 3536. 10.1038/s41598-018-21880-2.
Madeline, M., Goolsby, J., Vacek, A.T., Kirk, A., Moran, P.J., Cortes, E., Cristofaro, M., Bownes, A., Mastoras, A., Kashefi, J. 2018. Densities of the Arundo Wasp, Tetramesa Romana (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) across its native range in Mediterranean Europe and introduced ranges in North America and Africa. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 28(8):772-785.
Shaw, R., Ellison, C., Marchante, E., Pratt, C., Schaffner, U., Sforza, R. 2017. Weed biocontrol in the EU: from serendipity to strategy. Biocontrol. 63:333. doi.org/10.1007/s10526-017-9844-6.
