Open AccessAN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PASYALUM DILATATUM AND BLACK BEETLE IN PASTURE
Author(s) -
R.N. Watson,
N.R. Wrenn
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
proceedings of the new zealand grassland association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1179-4577
pISSN - 0369-3902
DOI - 10.33584/jnzg.1979.41.1533
Subject(s) - pasture , paspalum , overwintering , biology , biological dispersal , agronomy , ecology , population , demography , sociology
Field monitoring of black beetle, Heteronychus arutor (F.), populations in Waikato pasture showed a strong association between black beetle numbers and the presence of Paspalum dilatatum Poir. Increasing paspalum gave higher adult numbers in spring resulting from increased overwintering survival, and in some seasons, reduced autumn dispersal. Numbers of larvae damaging pasture in February were directly related to adult numbers in September. Black beetle preferentially select paspalum plants in mixed pasture. This can place paspalum at a competitive disadvantage relative to other pasture species, but also permits the retention of higher adult black beetle numbers, even at low paspalum levels.