| Title: | Additive interaction between a root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica and a root-feeding flea beetle Longitarsus bethae on their host Lantana camara |
| Author(s): | Musedeli JN; Simelane DO; Hill MP; Marais M; |
| Address: | "Agricultural Research Council-Plant Health and Protection (ARC-PHP), Pretoria, South Africa. Department of Zoology and Entomology, Centre for Biological Control (CBC), Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1526-4998 (Electronic) 1526-498X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "BACKGROUND: Changes in plants induced by one species have indirect effects on interactions with other species, thus shaping their abundances. The root-feeding beetle Longitarsus bethae released as a biological control agent for Lantana camara has established at a few sites in South Africa. Lantana camara plants infected with the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica often exhibit an increase in L. bethae abundance, suggesting that nematode-infected plants could be enhancing the development of the beetle. This study investigated the interaction between L. bethae and M. javanica. RESULTS: The study showed that galling by M. javanica occurred at the highest inoculation of 300 eggs of L. bethae per plant. Longitarsus bethae performed over twofold better on M. javanica-infected L. camara roots compared with healthy roots, and 275 adult L. bethae progeny, with slightly larger body size, emerged from M. javanica-infected compared with 167 adults that emerged from healthy plants. Fresh gall weight from treatments where both L. bethae and M. javanica were combined was 36% higher than that from M. javanica only, suggesting that the combination of both species induces more galling than the nematode does alone. The total biomass of plants with M. javanica only, L. bethae only, and the two species combined was reduced by 48%, 24% and 50%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Meloidogyne javanica improves the performance of L. bethae, and combination of the two species has an additive negative effect on L. camara. The interaction between M. javanica and L. bethae could enhance the biological control of L. camara. (c) 2019 Society of Chemical Industry" |
| Keywords: | Animals *Lantana *Siphonaptera South Africa *Tylenchoidea additive effect below-ground herbivores biological control interaction; |
| Notes: | "MedlineMusedeli, Jufter N Simelane, David O Hill, Martin P Marais, Mariette eng ARC's Professional Development Programme/ South African Research Chairs Initiative housed at the CBC/ Department of Zoology and Entomology/ Rhodes University/ Natural Resources Management Programme (NRMP)/ South African Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA)/ University of Fort Hare/ Department of Environmental Affairs/ National Research Foundation/ Department of Science and Technology/ England 2019/05/24 Pest Manag Sci. 2020 Jan; 76(1):198-204. doi: 10.1002/ps.5493. Epub 2019 Jun 17" |
