Location: Invasive Species and Pollinator Health
Project Number: 2030-22000-033-027-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Jun 20, 2024
End Date: Nov 29, 2024
Objective:
The objectives of this project are to: 1, Examine invasive populations of crystalline and slenderleaf ice plants in California to gain insight into their ecology and biological control strategies. 2, Support research by a Cooperator in South Africa to visit field sites to observe and collect candidate biological control agents and conduct laboratory studies in the native range of the ice plants to determine weed and agent molecular identification and agent host range, and to ship candidate agents to the ARS PI for quarantine laboratory studies. 3, Support research by a Cooperator in Italy to visit sites in the western Mediterranean Basin to observe and collect a candidate agent for slenderleaf ice plant., and to ship this agent to the ARS PI.
Approach:
Under Objective 1, the ARS PI will visit the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California, especially San Nicolas and San Clemente, both owned by DOD-U.S. Navy. There are large invasive populations of crsyalline and slenderleaf ice plants on both islands. The ARS PI will search for extant insects and mites that may be feeding on the ice plants, and will gain a better understanding of ecological factors that may influence the success of a future potential release of a non-native biological control agent from South Africa or the Canary Islands (Spain). Under Objective 2, a Cooperator will visit at least 12 sites in western coastal South Africa to collect the stem-boring weevil Lixus carinerostris, a candidate biological control agent for crystalline ice plant that was prioritized for further study on the basis of prior research funded by the USDA-ARS with funds provided by the U.S. Navy. The Cooperator will also visit sites with populations of slenderleaf ice plant to collect moth larvae and other potential candidate agents targeting this ice plant. Two Masters degree students and a technician will assist the Cooperator with field and laboratory studies to obtain further information on the biology, host range and potential efficacy of candidate agents, and to complete studies on the genetic origin of invasive ice plant populations. The Cooperator in South Africa will coordinate studies with the ARS PI, and will ship adults of the stem-boring weevil, and immatures or adults of other candidate agents for slenderleaf ice plant, to the USDA-ARS Invasive Species and Pollinator Health Research Unit, Arthropod Quarantine Laboratory in Albany, California for further study. Under Objective 3, a Cooperator in Italy will visit sites in the Canary Islands (Spain) and Morocco to collect a root-feeding weevil, Temnorhinus mixtus, as a candidate biological control agent of slenderleaf ice plant, and will make observations on its field biology, ecology and efficacy. The Cooperator will coordinate studies with the ARS PI, and will ship adults of the root weevil to the ARS PI in California for further study.
