El árbol Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blake (Myrtaceae), conocido como corteza de papel, ... more El árbol Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blake (Myrtaceae), conocido como corteza de papel, es una especie invasora agresiva en varios ecosistemas del sur de Florida, incluyendo los Everglades. Melaleuca está considerado una plaga porque desplaza la vegetación nativa y degrada el hábitat de especies silvestres; además aumenta el peligro de incendios y puede causar problemas a la salud humana (Rayamajhi et al. 2002). El Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA) y el Servicio de Investigación Agrícola (ARS), bajo permiso federal y estatal, introdujeron el psílido Boreioglycaspis melaleucae en Florida en el Condado de Broward, en Febrero del 2002 como un agente potencial de control biológico de melaleuca. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Susan A. Wineriter, Susan E. Halbert, and James Cuda, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, December 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1019
Tropical soda apple is a prickly shrub native to South America. First reported in Glades Co., Flo... more Tropical soda apple is a prickly shrub native to South America. First reported in Glades Co., Florida in 1988, it later spread to Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It is a major problem in pastures and conservation areas. Negative impacts of tropical soda apple include reduction of cattle stocking rates, competition with native plants, and the costs associated with its control. Dense thickets of the weed also can disrupt the movement of wildlife. This 4-page fact sheet provides a summary of the major steps of the successful biological control program against tropical soda apple in Florida. The article covers the importance of the weed, identification and biology of the biological control agent, rearing and release efforts, establishment and impact, and efforts to communicate the outcomes of the program to stakeholders. Written by R. Diaz, J. Medal, K. Hibbard, A. Roda, A. Fox, S. Hight, P. Stansly, B. Sellers, J. Cuda and...
Mosquito larvicides provide a source-reduction strategy to diminish adult females that bite and p... more Mosquito larvicides provide a source-reduction strategy to diminish adult females that bite and potentially spread pathogens. Demands are mounting for new and innovative effective biorational larvicides, due to the development of resistance to some currently utilized mosquito larvicides, undesirable non-target effects, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restrictions. Methionine is a human nutrient essential amino acid that unexpectedly has been shown to be a valuable safe pest management tool against select insect pests that possess alkaline gut physiology. The present study evaluated larvicidal toxicity of methionine in several pestiferous mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) genera. Concentration-dependent DL-methionine kinetics assays of survival and pupation were conducted in larvae of Aedes albopictus Skuse, Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say, and Culex tarsalis Coquillett in glass jars. Higher concentrations of DL-methionine yielded 100% mortality for all test species and prev...
ABSTRACT Mosquito larvicides are an effective means of source reduction, controlling the populati... more ABSTRACT Mosquito larvicides are an effective means of source reduction, controlling the population size so that the number of adult females that are present to bite and potentially spread pathogenic organisms is decreased. The toxicity of methionine, an essential amino acid, as a larvicide has been demonstrated against four mosquito species in three genera, Anopheles, Culex and Aedes. For all pesticides, including bio-pesticides like methionine, it is important to examine the potential for toxicity to non-target organisms. The aim of our study was to determine the potential impact of methionine applied as a mosquito larvicide on non-target organisms. Acute toxicity assays are currently in progress in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines with the honey bee (Apis mellifera), daphnids (Daphnia magna) and the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Preliminary results with honey bee larvae and daphnid neonates suggest that the doses required to kill mosquito larvae do not result in adverse effects on these non-target organisms. Therefore, methionine may provide a valuable addition to a mosquito integrated pest management program.
The production of subterranean turions (tubers) by hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle) ... more The production of subterranean turions (tubers) by hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle) is understood to be dependent upon the production, translocation, and storage of excess total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC). In a greenhouse experiment, dioecious hydrilla plants were cut to heights of 30 cm or 8 cm or were left un-clipped; clipping occurred either continuously or after 90% of the stems had reached the water surface. Plants were harvested 4 months after clipping was begun and above-ground tissues were analyzed for TNC, along with growth variables of tuber and rhi
ABSTRACT The demand for alternatives to the conventional practices of pest management has increas... more ABSTRACT The demand for alternatives to the conventional practices of pest management has increased in recent times. There is a need for control measures that are targeted, effective, and nontoxic, or of reduced toxicity to humans, mammals, birds, other non-target organisms, and the environment. Lepidopteran pests are the most damaging insects in agriculture, with the Corn Earworm, Helicoperva zea (Boddie) as possibly the most costly crop pest in America. Recently, the Southeast Asian citrus-feeding butterfly species Princeps (Papilio) demoleus was introduced into the Americas, causing an imminent threat to the citrus industry and ornamental flora. Lepidopterans maintain an alkaline midgut with aid of a transport protein, CAATCH1, which is a multi-functional cation and amino acid modulated solute transporter that also behaves as a channel for Na+, K+, and H+, with ion channel gating opened by proline and blocked by methionine. Methionine has been shown by us to disrupt aminoacid-modulated ion transport systems in lepidopterans and other insect larvae that possess an alkaline midgut. Heraclides (Papilio) cresphontes was bioassayed as a USDA-permitted surrogate of the Florida quarantined P. demoleus as a way to test the potential efficacy of methionine. Larvae were allowed to feed ad libitum on wild lime plants with leaves treated with methionine. Methionine caused 100% mortality in 1st through 4th instars in a time- and dose-dependent manner, as determined by probit analysis. Proline was ineffective. Wild lime host plants did not exhibit phytotoxicity with methionine treatments during a 14 day test period. It is concluded that methionine is an effective larvicide against H. cresphontes, and therefore may be a candidate environmentally safe biorational pesticide for use against invasive P. demoleus in the Americas.
... As its name implies, the Caribbean Red variety of C. chinense also is native to the Caribbean... more ... As its name implies, the Caribbean Red variety of C. chinense also is native to the Caribbean. The variety has bright red, wrinkled fruits about 2.5 cm wide, with a fruity flavor. ... UF-IFAS Extension Bulletin HS 743. Owusu, EO, GO Nkansah, and EA Dennis. 2000. ...
ABSTRACT Understanding how insect herbivores affect weed performance is essential to predict the ... more ABSTRACT Understanding how insect herbivores affect weed performance is essential to predict the outcomes of classical biological control programs. Because of its aggressive growth and absence of natural enemies, Brazilian peppertree is considered one of the worst upland weeds in Florida. Calophya latiforceps Burckhardt induces leaf galls on Brazilian peppertree; however, its effects on leaf perfomance and sapling growth are unknown. The objectives of this study were to measure the effect of gall formation on photosynthesis, chlorophyll and growth of leaves. Photosynthesis was measured on 8-month-old saplings with and without C. latiforceps. In plants infested with insects, leaves with galls had 2.2, 2.7 and 4.1-times lower photosynthesis compared to leaves without galls after 15, 30 and 45 d of nymph settling, respectively. To measure the impact of gall formation on leaf chlorophyll and leaf area, we followed performance of plants with and without C. latiforceps under greenhouse conditions. We haphazardly tagged three young leaves per plant and followed their performance over a 70 d period. After 15 d, the chlorophyll content of leaves with galls was on average 1.1-times lower compared to leaves without galls. After 69 d, the change in leaf area of leaves with and without galls was 92.0 ± 11.0 and 130.8 ± 6.0 cm2, respectively. This indicates that folding and shedding of leaves with galls was responsible for a loss of 30% in leaf area compared to non-galled leaves. Our results demonstrated that damage by C. latiforceps reduces leaf performance of Brazilian peppertree. Under field conditions, high densities of galls are likely to have a negative impact on branch growth and eventually reproductive output.
Hydrilla is an invasive aquatic weed, and millions of dollars are spent each year managing it in ... more Hydrilla is an invasive aquatic weed, and millions of dollars are spent each year managing it in the southern US. Thanks to a new 4-year grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, University of Florida/IFAS research and extension faculty, FAMU faculty, and an ARMY Corps researcher are studying new chemical and biological control methods as part of an overall hydrilla integrated pest management (IPM) plan and transferring the information to stakeholders. The goal is to increase stakeholder awareness of research-based information regarding the hydrilla miner and other sustainable strategies for managing hydrilla. Materials have been developed to help resource managers understand how new strategies for managing hydrilla fit into a hydrilla IPM plan. A perception survey was distributed throughout Florida to determine the most effective information distribution method. The information distribution platform includes field tours and demonstrations, educational publicat...
El árbol Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blake (Myrtaceae), conocido como corteza de papel, ... more El árbol Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blake (Myrtaceae), conocido como corteza de papel, es una especie invasora agresiva en varios ecosistemas del sur de Florida, incluyendo los Everglades. Melaleuca está considerado una plaga porque desplaza la vegetación nativa y degrada el hábitat de especies silvestres; además aumenta el peligro de incendios y puede causar problemas a la salud humana (Rayamajhi et al. 2002). El Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA) y el Servicio de Investigación Agrícola (ARS), bajo permiso federal y estatal, introdujeron el psílido Boreioglycaspis melaleucae en Florida en el Condado de Broward, en Febrero del 2002 como un agente potencial de control biológico de melaleuca. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Susan A. Wineriter, Susan E. Halbert, and James Cuda, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, December 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1019
Tropical soda apple is a prickly shrub native to South America. First reported in Glades Co., Flo... more Tropical soda apple is a prickly shrub native to South America. First reported in Glades Co., Florida in 1988, it later spread to Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It is a major problem in pastures and conservation areas. Negative impacts of tropical soda apple include reduction of cattle stocking rates, competition with native plants, and the costs associated with its control. Dense thickets of the weed also can disrupt the movement of wildlife. This 4-page fact sheet provides a summary of the major steps of the successful biological control program against tropical soda apple in Florida. The article covers the importance of the weed, identification and biology of the biological control agent, rearing and release efforts, establishment and impact, and efforts to communicate the outcomes of the program to stakeholders. Written by R. Diaz, J. Medal, K. Hibbard, A. Roda, A. Fox, S. Hight, P. Stansly, B. Sellers, J. Cuda and...
Mosquito larvicides provide a source-reduction strategy to diminish adult females that bite and p... more Mosquito larvicides provide a source-reduction strategy to diminish adult females that bite and potentially spread pathogens. Demands are mounting for new and innovative effective biorational larvicides, due to the development of resistance to some currently utilized mosquito larvicides, undesirable non-target effects, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restrictions. Methionine is a human nutrient essential amino acid that unexpectedly has been shown to be a valuable safe pest management tool against select insect pests that possess alkaline gut physiology. The present study evaluated larvicidal toxicity of methionine in several pestiferous mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) genera. Concentration-dependent DL-methionine kinetics assays of survival and pupation were conducted in larvae of Aedes albopictus Skuse, Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say, and Culex tarsalis Coquillett in glass jars. Higher concentrations of DL-methionine yielded 100% mortality for all test species and prev...
ABSTRACT Mosquito larvicides are an effective means of source reduction, controlling the populati... more ABSTRACT Mosquito larvicides are an effective means of source reduction, controlling the population size so that the number of adult females that are present to bite and potentially spread pathogenic organisms is decreased. The toxicity of methionine, an essential amino acid, as a larvicide has been demonstrated against four mosquito species in three genera, Anopheles, Culex and Aedes. For all pesticides, including bio-pesticides like methionine, it is important to examine the potential for toxicity to non-target organisms. The aim of our study was to determine the potential impact of methionine applied as a mosquito larvicide on non-target organisms. Acute toxicity assays are currently in progress in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines with the honey bee (Apis mellifera), daphnids (Daphnia magna) and the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Preliminary results with honey bee larvae and daphnid neonates suggest that the doses required to kill mosquito larvae do not result in adverse effects on these non-target organisms. Therefore, methionine may provide a valuable addition to a mosquito integrated pest management program.
The production of subterranean turions (tubers) by hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle) ... more The production of subterranean turions (tubers) by hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle) is understood to be dependent upon the production, translocation, and storage of excess total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC). In a greenhouse experiment, dioecious hydrilla plants were cut to heights of 30 cm or 8 cm or were left un-clipped; clipping occurred either continuously or after 90% of the stems had reached the water surface. Plants were harvested 4 months after clipping was begun and above-ground tissues were analyzed for TNC, along with growth variables of tuber and rhi
ABSTRACT The demand for alternatives to the conventional practices of pest management has increas... more ABSTRACT The demand for alternatives to the conventional practices of pest management has increased in recent times. There is a need for control measures that are targeted, effective, and nontoxic, or of reduced toxicity to humans, mammals, birds, other non-target organisms, and the environment. Lepidopteran pests are the most damaging insects in agriculture, with the Corn Earworm, Helicoperva zea (Boddie) as possibly the most costly crop pest in America. Recently, the Southeast Asian citrus-feeding butterfly species Princeps (Papilio) demoleus was introduced into the Americas, causing an imminent threat to the citrus industry and ornamental flora. Lepidopterans maintain an alkaline midgut with aid of a transport protein, CAATCH1, which is a multi-functional cation and amino acid modulated solute transporter that also behaves as a channel for Na+, K+, and H+, with ion channel gating opened by proline and blocked by methionine. Methionine has been shown by us to disrupt aminoacid-modulated ion transport systems in lepidopterans and other insect larvae that possess an alkaline midgut. Heraclides (Papilio) cresphontes was bioassayed as a USDA-permitted surrogate of the Florida quarantined P. demoleus as a way to test the potential efficacy of methionine. Larvae were allowed to feed ad libitum on wild lime plants with leaves treated with methionine. Methionine caused 100% mortality in 1st through 4th instars in a time- and dose-dependent manner, as determined by probit analysis. Proline was ineffective. Wild lime host plants did not exhibit phytotoxicity with methionine treatments during a 14 day test period. It is concluded that methionine is an effective larvicide against H. cresphontes, and therefore may be a candidate environmentally safe biorational pesticide for use against invasive P. demoleus in the Americas.
... As its name implies, the Caribbean Red variety of C. chinense also is native to the Caribbean... more ... As its name implies, the Caribbean Red variety of C. chinense also is native to the Caribbean. The variety has bright red, wrinkled fruits about 2.5 cm wide, with a fruity flavor. ... UF-IFAS Extension Bulletin HS 743. Owusu, EO, GO Nkansah, and EA Dennis. 2000. ...
ABSTRACT Understanding how insect herbivores affect weed performance is essential to predict the ... more ABSTRACT Understanding how insect herbivores affect weed performance is essential to predict the outcomes of classical biological control programs. Because of its aggressive growth and absence of natural enemies, Brazilian peppertree is considered one of the worst upland weeds in Florida. Calophya latiforceps Burckhardt induces leaf galls on Brazilian peppertree; however, its effects on leaf perfomance and sapling growth are unknown. The objectives of this study were to measure the effect of gall formation on photosynthesis, chlorophyll and growth of leaves. Photosynthesis was measured on 8-month-old saplings with and without C. latiforceps. In plants infested with insects, leaves with galls had 2.2, 2.7 and 4.1-times lower photosynthesis compared to leaves without galls after 15, 30 and 45 d of nymph settling, respectively. To measure the impact of gall formation on leaf chlorophyll and leaf area, we followed performance of plants with and without C. latiforceps under greenhouse conditions. We haphazardly tagged three young leaves per plant and followed their performance over a 70 d period. After 15 d, the chlorophyll content of leaves with galls was on average 1.1-times lower compared to leaves without galls. After 69 d, the change in leaf area of leaves with and without galls was 92.0 ± 11.0 and 130.8 ± 6.0 cm2, respectively. This indicates that folding and shedding of leaves with galls was responsible for a loss of 30% in leaf area compared to non-galled leaves. Our results demonstrated that damage by C. latiforceps reduces leaf performance of Brazilian peppertree. Under field conditions, high densities of galls are likely to have a negative impact on branch growth and eventually reproductive output.
Hydrilla is an invasive aquatic weed, and millions of dollars are spent each year managing it in ... more Hydrilla is an invasive aquatic weed, and millions of dollars are spent each year managing it in the southern US. Thanks to a new 4-year grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, University of Florida/IFAS research and extension faculty, FAMU faculty, and an ARMY Corps researcher are studying new chemical and biological control methods as part of an overall hydrilla integrated pest management (IPM) plan and transferring the information to stakeholders. The goal is to increase stakeholder awareness of research-based information regarding the hydrilla miner and other sustainable strategies for managing hydrilla. Materials have been developed to help resource managers understand how new strategies for managing hydrilla fit into a hydrilla IPM plan. A perception survey was distributed throughout Florida to determine the most effective information distribution method. The information distribution platform includes field tours and demonstrations, educational publicat...
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