An open-field test was conducted in southern France to assess the host-specificity of Ceratapion basicorne (Illiger), acandidate for biological control of yellow starthistle. Test plants were infested by naturally occurring populations ofC. basicorne but were also exposed to sympatric herbivore species, including other Ceratapion spp. Insects from thetest plants were collected directly into tubes of ethanol and were subsequently identified to species according toDNA sequence similarity with morphologically identified reference specimens. This integrated, morphological andmolecular identification method was used in an effort to maximize the amount of data gained in the field bioassayand to minimize the number of taxonomist–hours necessary to complete the study. The results obtained showed thatthe French C. basicorne population only attacked yellow starthistle and cornflower, another known host of C.basicorne . Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the insects collected from all other nonhost plants rejected thepossibility that any were C. basicorne.
DNA fingerprinting improves data collection efficiency and yield in a host-specificity test of a weed biological control candidate / Rector, B. G.; DE BIASE, Alessio; Cristofaro, M; Primerano, S; Belvedere, Silvia; Antonini, Gloria; Sobhian, R.. - In: INVASIVE PLANT SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT. - ISSN 1939-7291. - STAMPA. - 3:(2010), pp. 429-439. [10.1614/IPSM-D-10-00019.1]
DNA fingerprinting improves data collection efficiency and yield in a host-specificity test of a weed biological control candidate.
DE BIASE, Alessio;BELVEDERE, Silvia;ANTONINI, Gloria;
2010
Abstract
An open-field test was conducted in southern France to assess the host-specificity of Ceratapion basicorne (Illiger), acandidate for biological control of yellow starthistle. Test plants were infested by naturally occurring populations ofC. basicorne but were also exposed to sympatric herbivore species, including other Ceratapion spp. Insects from thetest plants were collected directly into tubes of ethanol and were subsequently identified to species according toDNA sequence similarity with morphologically identified reference specimens. This integrated, morphological andmolecular identification method was used in an effort to maximize the amount of data gained in the field bioassayand to minimize the number of taxonomist–hours necessary to complete the study. The results obtained showed thatthe French C. basicorne population only attacked yellow starthistle and cornflower, another known host of C.basicorne . Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the insects collected from all other nonhost plants rejected thepossibility that any were C. basicorne.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
