Gaffke Alexander M, Sing Sharlene E, Dudley Tom L, Bean Daniel W, Russak Justin A, Mafra-Neto Agenor, Peterson Robert K D, Weaver David K
Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.
Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA.
J Chem Ecol. 2020 Apr;46(4):378-386. doi: 10.1007/s10886-020-01176-4. Epub 2020 Apr 2.
Before weed biocontrol insects are transported and released in a new area, they are commonly collected into small paper containers, chilled, and kept under dark conditions. This process can be termed a pre-release protocol. The influence of a pre-release protocol on establishment success of a gregarious biological control agent was assessed using the northern tamarisk beetle, Diorhabda carinulata (Desbrochers), and its exotic, invasive host plant saltcedar (Tamarix spp.). Pre-release protocol impacts on aggregation pheromone production by D. carinulata were characterized under controlled conditions. Additional experiments were undertaken to determine if deployment of aggregation pheromone lures might enhance the agent's persistence at release sites. Adults that experienced the pre-release protocol produced less aggregation pheromone compared to undisturbed adults. Olfactometer bioassays indicated that a cohort of adults subjected to the pre-release protocol were less attractive to other adults than a control cohort. Efficacy of aggregation pheromone-based lures to retain adults at release sites was evaluated by comparing capture numbers of adult beetles at paired treatment and control release sites, 10-14 days after the release of 300, 500, or 1000 individuals. A greater number of adult D. carinulata were captured where the pheromone lures had been deployed compared to control release sites. Application of aggregation pheromone when a new release of D. carinulata is planned should allow biological control practitioners to increase retention of beetles at a release site.
在将杂草生物防治昆虫运输并释放到新区域之前，它们通常被收集到小纸容器中，进行冷藏，并保存在黑暗条件下。这个过程可称为释放前方案。利用北方柽柳甲虫（Diorhabda carinulata (Desbrochers)）及其外来入侵寄主植物柽柳（Tamarix spp.），评估了释放前方案对群居性生物防治剂定殖成功的影响。在可控条件下，对释放前方案对北方柽柳甲虫聚集信息素产生的影响进行了表征。还进行了额外的实验，以确定部署聚集信息素诱捕器是否可以提高该生物防治剂在释放地点的存留率。与未受干扰的成虫相比，经历了释放前方案的成虫产生的聚集信息素较少。嗅觉仪生物测定表明，与对照群体相比，经历了释放前方案的成虫群体对其他成虫的吸引力较小。通过比较在释放300、500或1000只个体后的10 - 14天，在配对的处理释放地点和对照释放地点捕获的成年甲虫数量，评估了基于聚集信息素的诱捕器在释放地点留住成虫的效果。与对照释放地点相比，在部署了信息素诱捕器的地方捕获了更多的北方柽柳甲虫成虫。当计划新一批北方柽柳甲虫释放时应用聚集信息素，应该能够让生物防治从业者提高甲虫在释放地点的存留率。
