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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Invasive Species and Pollinator Health » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #165100
Title: NATURAL ENEMIES ASSOCIATED WITH CENTAUREA SOLSTITIALIS L. (YELLOW STARTHISTLE) AND IMPORTANCE OF CERATAPION SPECIES (APIONIDAE) AMONG THEM

Author
item UYGUR, SIBEL - CUKUROVA UNIV, TURKEY
item Smith, Lincoln
item BOZDOGAN, OSMAN - CUKUROVA UNIV, TURKEY

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/30/2004
Publication Date: 9/7/2004
Citation: Uygur, S., Smith, L., Bozdogan, O. 2004. Natural enemies associated with centaurea solstitialis l. (yellow starthistle) and importance of ceratapion species (apionidae) among them. Meeting Abstract. (NKS)

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Centaurea solstitialis L. (yellow starthistle), which belongs to the family Asteraceae, is an annual weed species. It is native to Mediterranean Basin and western Eurasia. But it was accidentally introduced to United States and became an invasive alien weed. It occurs throughout Turkey, primarily in pastures, field margins, roadsides, fallowing lands, historical areas and some cultivated crops. Our ongoing studies starting from 1999 were conducted to understand occurrence and population dynamics of C. solstitialis, to determine its natural enemies, to study promising agents for biological control. Four pathogens and 16 arthropod species have been identified. These are; Helminthosporium sp., Alternaria sp., Puccinia sp., Fusarium sp., Bangasternus orientalis, Ceratapion basicorne, Ceratapion onopordi, Colephora sp., Diplapion detritum, Phytoecia humeralis, Eustenopus villosus, Haplothrips reuteri, Larinus curtus, Larinus grisescens, Lixus cardui, Lixus scolopax, Strophosoma melanorammum, Uroleucon jacea, Urophora sp. and an Eriophyid mite, Aceria solstitialis. Ceratapion spp. (Coleoptera: Apionidae) were the most common species among them and appears to be a promising candidate for biological control. Another species, C. onopordi was reared from both in C. solstitialis and other Carduinae weeds in 2003.