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Classical biological control program for the mealybug Oracella acuta in Guangdong Province, China
Author(s) -
Clarke Stephen R.,
Yu HaiBin,
Chen MuRong,
DeBarr Gary L.,
Sun JiangHua
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
insect science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1744-7917
pISSN - 1672-9609
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7917.2009.01292.x
Subject(s) - mealybug , biology , parasitoid , biological pest control , china , natural enemies , pest control , parasitism , ecology , encyrtidae , pest analysis , botany , host (biology) , geography , archaeology
The mealybug Oracella acuta , native to the southeastern US, was accidentally introduced into slash pine plantations in Guangdong Province in China in 1988. A classical biological control program was initiated in 1995, and the parasitoids Allotropa oracellae , Acerophaus coccois , and Zarhopalus debarri were imported from the US. A total of 19 972 parasitized mealybugs were shipped to China from 1996–2004, from which 15 430 wasps emerged, 12 933 of which were the three target species. Efforts to establish a mass‐rearing program for the parasitoids in China failed. Five field release sites were established, and 6 020 parasitoids were released. Only 118 individuals of the three imported species were collected during establishment checks, although several wasps were collected 1–2 years after the last parasitoid release. Over 2 000 Anagyrus dactylopii , a cosmopolitan parasitoid, emerged from the parasitized mealybugs collected, a majority from the Taishan area near the site of the original introduction of O. acuta . To date the imported parasitoids have failed to establish, and natural enemies have not noticeably reduced mealybug populations.