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Title: XX1 Asian chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus) (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

Author
item RIESKE, LYNNE - University Of Kentucky
item Cooper, William - Rodney

Submitted to: Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/13/2011
Publication Date: 9/1/2014
Citation: Rieske, L.K., Cooper, W.R. 2014. XXI Asian chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus) (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). In:Van Driesche, R.G., Reardon, R., editors. Use of classical biological control to preserve natice US and Canadian forests. Morgantown, West Virginia:Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. p. 237-242.

Interpretive Summary: The Asian chestnut gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus, is an invasive pest of chestnut in Japan, Europe, and the United States. D. kuriphilus induces formation of galls on all chestnut species. Damage caused by galling reduces commercial chestnut yields and threatens restoration of American chestnut in Appalachian forests. This chapter reviews biological control efforts implemented for management of D. kuriphilus populations. Torymus sinensis, a parasitoid native to China, has been the focus of classical biological control programs for D. kuriphilus. This parasitoid has been released in Japan, Europe, and the United States, and has established self-sustaining populations in each region. Surveys in Japan, Europe, and the United States identified numerous native parasitoids capable of utilizing D. kuriphilus as a host. Impacts of most of these native parasitoids on D. kuriphilus populations are probably minor because the parasitoids were collected in low numbers. An exception was Ormyrus labotus, which was frequently collected from chestnut galls in the United States. Differences in lifecycles between the native O. labotus and the introduced T. sinensis may influence their relative effectiveness as biocontrol agents across different chestnut habitats. Whereas T. sinensis was more abundant than O. labotus in chestnut orchards, O. labotus was more abundant than T. sinensis in forest habitats. These two parasitoids potentially provide complimentary control of D. kuriphilus across the wide-range of habitats in which chestnut and D. kuriphilus occur.

Technical Abstract: The Asian chestnut gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus, is an invasive pest of chestnut in Japan, Europe, and the United States. D. kuriphilus induces formation of galls on all chestnut species. Damage caused by galling reduces commercial chestnut yields and threatens restoration of American chestnut in Appalachian forests. This chapter reviews biological control efforts implemented for management of D. kuriphilus populations. Torymus sinensis, a parasitoid native to China, has been the focus of classical biological control programs for D. kuriphilus. This parasitoid has been released in Japan, Europe, and the United States, and has established self-sustaining populations in each region. Surveys in Japan, Europe, and the United States identified numerous native parasitoids capable of utilizing D. kuriphilus as a host. Impacts of most of these native parasitoids on D. kuriphilus populations are probably minor because the parasitoids were collected in low numbers. An exception was Ormyrus labotus, which was frequently collected from chestnut galls in the United States. Differences in lifecycles between the native O. labotus and the introduced T. sinensis may influence their relative effectiveness as biocontrol agents across different chestnut habitats. Whereas T. sinensis was more abundant than O. labotus in chestnut orchards, O. labotus was more abundant than T. sinensis in forest habitats. These two parasitoids potentially provide complimentary control of D. kuriphilus across the wide-range of habitats in which chestnut and D. kuriphilus occur.