Open AccessTHE INCIDENCE OF PARASITISM AND DISEASE IN FIELD POPULATIONS OF THE POTATO MOTH PHTHORIMAEA OPERCULELLA (ZELLER) IN AUSTRALIA
Author(s) -
Briese D. T.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
australian journal of entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1440-6055
pISSN - 1326-6756
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-6055.1981.tb01057.x
Subject(s) - phthorimaea operculella , parasitism , biology , larva , pest analysis , incidence (geometry) , lepidoptera genitalia , gelechiidae , veterinary medicine , horticulture , botany , ecology , host (biology) , medicine , physics , optics
The incidence of parasitism and disease was recorded during a survey of Phthorimaea operculella populations from the major Australian potato growing areas. High levels of parasitism were found in most regions, though the contribution of each of the three major species showed marked geographic variation. There were also differences in the parasitism of larvae in leaves and in tubers. In some locations larvae were infected by a granulosis virus, which appeared to be endemic at a low frequency throughout the potato moth's range in Australia.