Surveys for potential biocontrol agents for moth plant in New Zealand and Argentina

Abstract

Moth plant Araujia sericifera is an environmental weed in northern regions of New Zealand Due to its rapid spread its ability to cause substantial damage to natural ecosystems and the increasing cost of conventional control methods a biological control programme was initiated A survey of the plant in New Zealand found that damage attributed to either disease or insect herbivory was minimal with little biocontrol potential Botanical pathogen and insect surveys were subsequently initiated in the native South American range to locate and identify potential agents for classical biocontrol Potential agents associated with plant damage were collected Damage was mostly due to pathogenic attack with 90 of moth plant populations showing disease symptoms To date eight fungal pathogens have been associated with plant die back leaf necroses and a severe fruit rot At least two mosaic (virus) diseases were also found frequently associated with colonies of the aphid Aphis nerii