Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #132251
Title: Flea beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) occurring on Amaranthus Retroflexus L. In Erzurum Province, Turkey and their potential as biological control agents

Author
item ASLAN, IRFAN - ATATURK UNIVERSITY
item OZBEK, HIKMET - ATATURK UNIVERSITY,
item Konstantinov, Alexander - Alex

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/10/2002
Publication Date: 3/31/2003
Citation: Aslan, I., Ozbek, H., Konstantinov, A.S. 2003. Flea beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) occurring on Amaranthus Retroflexus L. In Erzurum Province, Turkey and their potential as biological control agents. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 105(2):441-446.

Interpretive Summary: Leaf beetles are among the most agriculturally important insects to the US. Many are serious pests feeding on crops and destroying valuable plants; others are important biological control agents that can be used to control noxious weeds. This paper reports results of a study attempting to find flea beetles which could be used as biological control agents of redroot amaranth one of the most important noxious weed in the United States. It will be useful to biological control workers, taxonomists, ecologists, and anyone interested in using phytophagous beetles to control redroot amaranth.

Technical Abstract: Species composition and abundance of flea beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae)associated with Amaranthus retroflexus L. was studied in Erzurum provinces, Turkey, with the aim to find candidates for potential biological control of this weed. Insects were collected by sweeping net and aspirator on plant foliage at eight localities three four during the vegetation season. During three years of exploration 10 species of flea beetles were collected. They are: Chaetocnema breviuscula (Faldermann), Ch. concinna (Marsham), Ch. hortensis (Geoffroy), Ch. tibialis (Illiger), Longitarsus longipennis Kutschera, L. pellucidus Foudras, Phyllotreta atra (F.), Ph. cruciferae (Goeze), Ph. nigripes (F.), and Ph. vittula (Redtenbacher). In all localities Ch. tibialis was more abundant than other species. Simple feeding test in petri dishes showed that only Chaetocnema species were actually feeding on leaves of Amaranthus retroflexus. Analysis of flea beetle species associated with this plant shows that it is probably not native for Turkey.