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The exotic cabbage maggot (CM) infests canola on the prairies, feeding on roots in its larval stage, which disrupts the uptake of nutrients and water and provides an entry point for fungal plant pathogens. The European staphylinid, Aleochara bipustulata L., may be introduced for control of CM, but only if the risk to other species is low and if A. bipustulata has demonstrable potential to increase mortality already caused by natural enemies in Canada. Aleochara bipustulata could contribute to pest management as a predator of CM eggs and larvae, and as a parasitoid of CM puparia; however, it could affect non-pest species in the same two ways. A variety of invertebrates that share the soil of Brassica fields with immature CM were screened in laboratory no-choice assays to determine what adult A. bipustulata eat. In these assays, immobile or barely mobile invertebrates were accepted regularly and could be at risk. The majority of groups were seldom or never consumed. Also, a molecular assay developed to test for CM DNA in the guts of field-collected A. bipustulata revealed its high potential as a predator, and a similar assay developed for two carabid beetle species showed these to be seldom if ever consumed. Laboratory and field cage assays with other CM egg predators showed A. bipustulata has potential to disrupt other species, particularly the closely related A. bilineata Gyllenhal, as they seem to forage in similar microhabitats. Measurements of field-collected beetles indicate CM is unlikely to be the primary host in Europe, so introducing A. bipustulata to Canada may bring risks to non-target Diptera species. This was observed even though a series of laboratory experiments demonstrated CM is a superior and preferred host relative to the smaller, acalyptrate cheese skipper.

The exotic cabbage maggot (CM) infests canola on the prairies, feeding on roots in its larval stage, which disrupts the uptake of nutrients and water and provides an entry point for fungal plant pathogens. The European staphylinid, Aleochara bipustulata L., may be introduced for control of CM, but only if the risk to other species is low and if A. bipustulata has demonstrable potential to increase mortality already caused by natural enemies in Canada. Aleochara bipustulata could contribute to pest management as a predator of CM eggs and larvae, and as a parasitoid of CM puparia; however, it could affect non-pest species in the same two ways. A variety of invertebrates that share the soil of Brassica fields with immature CM were screened in laboratory no-choice assays to determine what adult A. bipustulata eat. In these assays, immobile or barely mobile invertebrates were accepted regularly and could be at risk. The majority of groups were seldom or never consumed. Also, a molecular assay developed to test for CM DNA in the guts of field-collected A. bipustulata revealed its high potential as a predator, and a similar assay developed for two carabid beetle species showed these to be seldom if ever consumed. Laboratory and field cage assays with other CM egg predators showed A. bipustulata has potential to disrupt other species, particularly the closely related A. bilineata Gyllenhal, as they seem to forage in similar microhabitats. Measurements of field-collected beetles indicate CM is unlikely to be the primary host in Europe, so introducing A. bipustulata to Canada may bring risks to non-target Diptera species. This was observed even though a series of laboratory experiments demonstrated CM is a superior and preferred host relative to the smaller, acalyptrate cheese skipper.

Leaves 101-104 are misnumbered. / Bibliography: leaves 155-215. / xiii, 215 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / In this study thirteen populations of P. xylostella from crucifer growing areas of Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia were surveyed for resistance to Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) toxins using a leaf-dip bioassay method. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Applied and Molecular Ecology, 2000

Leaves 101-104 are misnumbered. / Bibliography: leaves 155-215. / xiii, 215 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / In this study thirteen populations of P. xylostella from crucifer growing areas of Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia were surveyed for resistance to Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) toxins using a leaf-dip bioassay method. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Applied and Molecular Ecology, 2000

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references.

All living organisms produce volatile compounds that can have a significant effect on the ecological balance within their community. In wood, volatile compounds can build up and become toxic to other resident microorganisms. The major aim of this study was to evaluate the production of volatile compounds by <i>Trichoderma </i>species and evaluate their importance as a mechanism of control of <i>Serpula lacrymans</i>. Volatile interactions between a range of <i>Trichoderma </i>isolates grown on 3 different media (malt extract, minimal media and sawdust) and 4 <i>S. lacrymans</i> isolates demonstrated that levels of inhibition were influenced by <i>Trichoderma </i>isolate, media type and sensitivity of the <i>S. lacrymans</i> strain. The growth inhibition of <i>S. lacrymans</i> consistently resulted in the production of yellow pigmentation in the <i>Serpula mycelium</i>. The greatest levels of inhibition were seen when the <i>Trichoderma </i>were grown on the malt extract media. However, significant levels of inhibition were still recorded when the <i>Trichoderma </i>spp. were grown on a minimal medium (with a carbonmitrogen ratio similar to that found in Scots pine sawdust) and sawdust. The growth inhibition of <i>S. lacrymans</i> on the minimal media and sawdust is likely to provide a much more realistic guide to levels of inhibition that might be expected in the field. Gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry and associated principal component analysis of the <i>Trichoderma </i>VOCs resulted in the identification of 8 volatile compounds, mainly ketones, which were implicated as the active VOCs involved in the inhibition of <i>S. lacrymans</i>. The range and quantity of volatiles produced was dependent on the <i>Trichoderma </i>isolate and the media on which it was growing. If <i>Trichoderma</i>. is to be successful as a remedial treatment of dry rot in buildings, the volatiles identified as active inhibitory compounds must also be produced by the potential biocontrol agent in wood. Therefore, compounds of particular interest were 3-octanone, 2-nonanone and 2-heptanone, as they were produced by the most inhibitory treatment (<i>T. aureoviride</i> when grown on malt extract) but also produced on the sawdust. After exposure of the <i>S. lacrymans</i> strains to the <i>Trichoderma </i>VOCs, the <i>Serpula </i>cultures were assayed for production of 3 enzymes, cellulase, tyrosinase and peroxidase. The results demonstrated that the <i>Trichoderma </i>VOCs did not affect cellulase production. Therefore, while there would be a decrease in cellulase production, due to the reduction in <i>S. lacrymans</i> biomass, caused by the inhibition of growth by the <i>Trichoderma </i>VOCs, <i>S. lacrymans</i> would still be capable of degrading cellulose. Tyrosinase production was not detected in any of the cultures of <i>S. lacrymans</i>. Since yellow pigmentation was detected in plates of <i>S. lacrymans</i> inhibited by the <i>Trichoderma </i>VOCs it is unlikely that tyrosinase plays a role in this pigmentation in <i>Serpula</i>. Increased peroxidase production was detected in all plates of <i>S. lacrymans</i> displaying yellow pigmentation, suggesting that increased peroxidase production is linked to increased pigmentation associated with a stress reaction in <i>S. lacrymans</i>. SDS-PAGE analysis of protein production indicated changes in the protein profiles of <i>S. lacrymans</i> isolates when exposed to inhibitory VOCs from <i>Trichoderma</i>. One protein band in particular, at molecular weight 22.4 kDa, appeared to be closely linked to levels of growth inhibition with production of this protein completely inhibited by the VOCs from <i>T. aureoviride</i>, which gave the greatest levels of inhibition of the <i>S. lacrymans</i> isolates. The protein was unaffected by VOCs from <i>T. pseudokoningii</i>, which gave very little or no inhibition of growth of <i>S. lacrymans</i>, while VOCs from <i>T. viride</i> (which gave on average between 35-50% inhibition of growth) caused a marked reduction in synthesis of this protein. Analysis of this protein by electrospray ionisation did not, however, result in the identification of this protein. Removal of the antagonistic VOC stress demonstrated that the inhibition of <i>S. lacrymans</i> growth was transient, with not only growth resuming but production of all proteins previously inhibited also resuming. This work has shown that VOC production by <i>Trichoderma </i>spp. can have a fundamental role in microbial ecology of ecosystems dominated by fungi and for the first time has shown both up and down regulation of protein production in <i>S. lacrymans</i> after exposure and subsequent removal of inhibitory <i>Trichoderma </i>VOCs.

The life history of the aphidophagous syrphid fly, Heringia calcarata (Loew), a specialist predator of woolly apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann), was studied in Virginia from 2001 to 2003, under field and laboratory conditions. Pronounced differences in the chorionic sculpting of eggs of Eupeodes americanus (Wiedemann), Syrphus rectus Osten Sacken, and H. calcarata were documented. These differences can be used to separate these aphidophagous hover flies. Gross morphological descriptions of all life stages of H. calcarata were reported and the duration of the developmental period of all life stages was quantified. The phenology and relative abundance of H. calcarata was studied in the field using water pan traps, sticky traps, emergence traps, sentinel trees, and destructive sampling of aphid colonies. Sentinel trees with woolly apple aphid colonies were most effective for phenological studies, and showed that female H. calcarata were present in apple orchards from April through September. Emergence traps revealed that H. calcarata adults emerge from the duff or soil beneath apple trees. Prey specialization of H. calcarata on woolly apple aphid was studied using no-choice and choice feeding bioassays and oviposition patterns in the field. Feeding studies compared the consumption of three, temporally sympatric aphid pests of apple: spirea aphid, Aphis spiraecola Patch, rosy apple aphid, Dysaphis plantaginea (Passerini), and woolly apple aphid. Compared with spirea aphid or rosy apple aphid, a pure diet of woolly apple aphid resulted in significantly higher larval survivorship and weight, and a significantly shorter developmental period. Naïve, neonate larvae exhibited a marked preference for woolly apple aphid. Weekly counts of hatched and unhatched syrphid eggs revealed that H. calcarata was present only in woolly apple aphid colonies, where it was the most abundant hover fly species. Our data indicate that H. calcarata is a specialist predator of the woolly apple aphid in the apple ecosystem in Virginia. / Master of Science

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