There is currently little knowledge about the dynamics of invertebrates in Australian viticultural ecosystems. This study was conducted in Coonawarra vineyards over three seasons (years) and has focused on identifying natural enemies, their seasonal phenology, multiple species interactions, and potential for the suppression of the pest lepidopteran Epiphyas postvittana (Tortricidae). The work presented in this thesis shows that endemic natural enemies have far greater potential to control E. postvittana than has been realised. An initial survey identified a diverse and abundant range of potential natural enemies. Of these, the species most likely to attack E. postvittana include a predatory mite Anystis baccarum and a number of hymenopteran parasitoids. The most abundant parasitoid in the vineyards was a braconid, Dolichogenidea tasmanica. Understanding the characteristic behaviour of parasitoids in response to host density can help to gauge their potential for pest suppression. The results of large-scale field experiments showed that the response of D. tasmanica to the density of E. postvittana was inversely density-dependent, and that parasitism was consistently higher in Cabernet Sauvignon compared with Chardonnay varieties. Despite the fact that interactions among multiple species of natural enemies can increase or decrease pest suppression, particularly when they share a common prey/host, few multispecies interactions have been investigated. Laboratory studies identified a novel interaction between the predatory mite A. baccarum an abundant predator in the vine canopy, the parasitoid D. tasmanica and host E. postvittana larvae. Although A. baccarum readily ate E. postvittana eggs and free roaming larvae, they could not access larva in their silk leaf rolls. However, the addition of D. tasmanica significantly increased predation of E. postvittana larvae, by altering the behaviour of host larvae and increasing their vulnerability to the mite. Experiments conducted at a landscape level in the Coonawarra showed that D. tasmanica was also present in habitat other than vineyards including native vegetation. However, it was not present in highly disturbed habitats. Although the exact mechanism for this remains unknown, results indicate that viticultural practices and resources in the surrounding landscape can influence the presence of parasitoids. Together, the findings presented in this thesis make a significant contribution towards developing sustainable pest management in Australian viticulture. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1320930 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2008

There is currently little knowledge about the dynamics of invertebrates in Australian viticultural ecosystems. This study was conducted in Coonawarra vineyards over three seasons (years) and has focused on identifying natural enemies, their seasonal phenology, multiple species interactions, and potential for the suppression of the pest lepidopteran Epiphyas postvittana (Tortricidae). The work presented in this thesis shows that endemic natural enemies have far greater potential to control E. postvittana than has been realised. An initial survey identified a diverse and abundant range of potential natural enemies. Of these, the species most likely to attack E. postvittana include a predatory mite Anystis baccarum and a number of hymenopteran parasitoids. The most abundant parasitoid in the vineyards was a braconid, Dolichogenidea tasmanica. Understanding the characteristic behaviour of parasitoids in response to host density can help to gauge their potential for pest suppression. The results of large-scale field experiments showed that the response of D. tasmanica to the density of E. postvittana was inversely density-dependent, and that parasitism was consistently higher in Cabernet Sauvignon compared with Chardonnay varieties. Despite the fact that interactions among multiple species of natural enemies can increase or decrease pest suppression, particularly when they share a common prey/host, few multispecies interactions have been investigated. Laboratory studies identified a novel interaction between the predatory mite A. baccarum an abundant predator in the vine canopy, the parasitoid D. tasmanica and host E. postvittana larvae. Although A. baccarum readily ate E. postvittana eggs and free roaming larvae, they could not access larva in their silk leaf rolls. However, the addition of D. tasmanica significantly increased predation of E. postvittana larvae, by altering the behaviour of host larvae and increasing their vulnerability to the mite. Experiments conducted at a landscape level in the Coonawarra showed that D. tasmanica was also present in habitat other than vineyards including native vegetation. However, it was not present in highly disturbed habitats. Although the exact mechanism for this remains unknown, results indicate that viticultural practices and resources in the surrounding landscape can influence the presence of parasitoids. Together, the findings presented in this thesis make a significant contribution towards developing sustainable pest management in Australian viticulture. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1320930 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2008

Graduation date: 2004

The efficiencies of wet sieving/sucrose centrifugation (WS/SC) recovery of Pratylenchus penetrans (59 %), Paratylenchus sp., (80 %), and Criconemella xenoplax (66 %) were established. Baermann funnels (BF) recovered significantly more P. penetrans (p = 0.01) and significantly less (p = 0.01) C. xenoplax than did WS/SC. While densities of P. penetrans in stored soil remained constant over the three days following field sample collection, Paratylenchus sp. and C. xenoplax densities increased significantly on the second day and decreased to their original level on the third day. During mist chamber extraction, P. penetrans continued to emerge from peppermint root tissue for 38 days, but 90 % of the total was recovered after 10 days. The standard core, consisting of 500 g dry soil plus the roots and rhizomes in that soil, was developed to express endoparasitic and ectoparasitic nematode densities in peppermint field soil, roots, and rhizomes. Enumerating nematode densities within the different plantsoil components of a particular volume of soil more closely describes the total nematode population pressure on the plant growing in that volume of soil. Therefore, endoparasitic nematode population levels were expressed as numbers in standard core soil, roots, rhizomes, or total core (soil, root, and rhizome populations combined). P. penetrans populations in peppermint fields peaked in early May, decreased through the summer, peaked again in August, and decreased through the fall to a low winter level. Peaks in the P. penetrans population followed peppermint root weight peaks by 3 to 6 wks. Paratylenchus sp. populations remained at relatively low levels throughout the year except for a pronounced peak in August, which followed the root weight peak by 3 to 6 wks. The C. xenoplax population also peaked 3 to 6 wks after the August root weight peak but fluctuated markedly throughout the remainder of the year. From 70 to 90 % of the total P. penetrans population was in roots in early May, decreased to 40 to 50 % by late June and 20 to 40 % in August. Up to 20 % of the population was in rhizomes on some dates, but the rhizome percentage was usually less than 10. Fewer P. penetrans were recovered from rhizomes during the harsh winter of 1988-89 than during the mild winter of 1989-90. Analysis of point samples (pretreatment, posttreatment, and harvest samples) and area under nematode population curves (AUNPC) were used to compare nematode populations in oxamyl-treated (1.1 kg a.i./ha) and nontreated plots in two peppermint fields through the two growing seasons. Point sample analyses detected significant decreases in treated soil, root, and total standard core P. benetrans populations compared to nontreated populations in several pretreatment and harvest sample dates and in two rhizome harvest sample dates. No treatment differences were observed in Paratylenchus sp. or C. xenoplax populations using this analysis. AUNPC analysis detected significant decreases in several treated root and rhizome P. penetrans populations compared to nontreated populations and in total core populations in field 1 during one growing season and in field 2 during two growing seasons. Significant decreases in C. xenoplax populations were observed in one field during one growing season. Peppermint hay weight was significantly greater in treated than in nontreated plots in one of three fields in 1988 and in one of three fields during 1989. Oil in ml/kg fresh hay weight was significantly lower in treated than in nontreated plots in one of three fields during 1989. No treatment differences were detected in milliliters of oil distilled from 2m² field area. Peppermint oil production is the final measure of a treatment from a mint grower's perspective. Because oxamyl had no effect on mint oil production, AUNPC appears to be a better measure of parasitic nematode pressure on peppermint, since this method of analysis detected fewer significant differences between nematode populations between treated and non-treated plots. / Graduation date: 1991

The effects of fenamiphos on soil and root populations of Pratylenchus penetrans were evaluated in four red raspberry cv. Willamette fields in Northwestern Oregon. Field 1 was a silty clay loam with 53% organic matter (OM). Field 2 and 3 were silty loam soils with 3.25 and 2.55% OM, respectively and field 4 was a silty clay with 7.1% OM. The nematicide, fenamiphos (10 kg a.i./ha) was applied in broadcast or band treatments on November 15, 1989. Additional plots in field 3, received a band-nematicide treatment on December 28, 1989 to evaluate the effect of application date on the control of P. penetrans in red raspberry. Field 4 had plots in sites with and without grass and weed ground cover in the aisles between raspberry rows to examine effects of ground cover on nematicide efficacy. Nematodes from soil and roots were sampled monthly from all plots in each field from October 1989 to October 1990. Soil populations of P. penetrans sampled within rows decreased between the October and December sampling dates in all four fields. Soil populations in 3 fields increased in density during mid-summer and reached their highest peak in the middle of September. A similar pattern occurred in P. penetrans soil populations from plots with or without ground cover in aisles between rows of raspberry in field 4. However, in this field, numbers increased in July and reached their peak density in August. Root populations of P. penetrans from red raspberry reached their highest number during spring and summer at all fields. No significant (P>0.05) differences in effectiveness of fenamiphos were detected between band and broadcast method of application and, also between the 2 application dates. Seasonal mean densities of soil populations from band application was only significantly lower than in nontreated controls in areas with ground cover in field 4, respectively. High variability in the numbers of P. penetrans in soil and roots of raspberry was observed throughout the year. Therefore, conclusions about the effectiveness of fenamiphos were difficult to assess. The efficiency of Baermann funnels was 43.9%, when a known number of P. penetrans was added to soil. Total yields of P. penetrans extracted from raspberry roots by mist chamber root extraction (MCRE) were higher (P = 0.05) than yields extracted by polyethylene plastic bag root incubation (PBRI). Approximately 90% of the total P. penetrans recovered was achieved after three and seven days of extraction for PBRI and MCRE, respectively. However, the extraction efficiency of MCRE was 30% higher than PBRI and the daily recovery lasted 28 and 18 days, respectively. / Graduation date: 1992

This item was digitized as part of the Million Books Project led by Carnegie Mellon University and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Cornell University coordinated the participation of land-grant and agricultural libraries in providing historical agricultural information for the digitization project; the University of Arizona Libraries, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies collaborated in the selection and provision of material for the digitization project.

Thesis (MTech. degree in Agriculture.)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2011. / Using the Participatory Extension Approach adopted by the Limpopo Department of Agriculture, this study documented the development, implementation and impact of a community-based rodent control strategy at Regae in Limpopo Province. The results of a homestead survey and the trapping of rodents in dwellings, home gardens and fields confirmed the severity of the rodent problem in the village, which was caused by Rattus rattus, Mus musculus, Mus minutoides, Mastomys coucha and Rhabdomys pumilio.

published_or_final_version / Zoology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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This item was digitized as part of the Million Books Project led by Carnegie Mellon University and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Cornell University coordinated the participation of land-grant and agricultural libraries in providing historical agricultural information for the digitization project; the University of Arizona Libraries, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies collaborated in the selection and provision of material for the digitization project.