CABI

About: CABI is a nonprofit organization based out in Wallingford, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Introduced species. The organization has 789 authors who have published 1759 publications receiving 73843 citations. The organization is also known as: Centre for Biosciences and Agriculture International.

Performance of potential European biological control agents of Vincetoxicum spp. with notes on their distribution

Abstract: Exploratory surveys were conducted in Europe to locate potential biological control agents of Vincetoxicum nigrum and Vincetoxicum rossicum and to collect known specialist herbivores of Vincetoxicum hirundinaria (Abrostola asclepiadis, Chrysolina a. asclepiadis, Eumolpus asclepiadeus and Euphranta connexa). Development of the most abundant herbivores found attacking leaves, roots, and developing seeds was evaluated in the laboratory on three Vincetoxicum spp. Field surveys revealed that the highest diversity of herbivores was associated with the abundant and widespread V. hirundinaria. No new herbivores were reported from V. hirundinaria or V. nigrum, but the leaf-feeding noctuid Hypena opulenta was recorded for the first time attacking V. rossicum and V. scandens in Ukraine. Based upon larval survival and development and adult fecundity, the leaf feeders A. asclepiadis, C. a. asclepiadis, and H. opulenta, perform better on V. nigrum and V. rossicum than on V. hirundinaria. Larval performance of the root feeder E. asclepiadeus followed a similar pattern, but adult fecundity of this insect did not vary among host plant species. Immature development time of the pre-dispersal seed feeder E. connexa is similar among hosts, but larvae grow larger on V. nigrum and V. hirundinaria than on V. rossicum. All herbivores are promising biological control agents of Vincetoxicum in North America and we have prioritized host range testing with H. opulenta and E. asclepiadeus.

Genetic variability within the Aspergillus viridinutans species.

Abstract: The intraspecific variability of the Aspergillus viridinutans species was examined using various techniques including morphological examinations, carbon-source-utilization tests, restriction-enzyme analysis of the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, and sequence analysis of part of the beta-tubulin gene. Although the genetic distances between the isolates were higher than between, e.g., A. fumigatus and Neosartorya fischeri, most A. viridinutans isolates, together with N. aureola and N. udagawae strains, were found to belong to a single cluster based on sequence data. Strain FRR 1266, which was earlier classified as a highly divergent A. fumigatus isolate, was found to belong to the A. viridinutans species. The ochratoxin A producing A. viridinutans strain IMI 306135 was most closely related to an asexual isolate. These two latter strains were more closely related to A. fumigatus and N. fischeri than to any A. viridinutans strains, and possibly represent a new species in the Aspergillus section Fumigati. The dendrogram based on carbon source utilization data and results of restriction analysis of the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA of the strains supported most of the evolutionary relationships observed on the basis of sequence data. The results indicate that the presence or absence of nodding conidial heads is not an unequivocal morphological character for the identification of species within the Aspergillus section Fumigati.

A physiological and biochemical approach to the systematics of Colletotrichum species pathogenic to strawberry

Abstract: A total of 247 physiological and biochem- ical characters were assessed for the differentiation of 73 strains of Colletotrichum isolated from diseased strawberry plants with anthracnose symptoms. The strains had previously been grouped using data from a range of DNA analyses. Approximately 41% of the characters surveyed (i.e., 101/247) gave results that were in some way differential. The strains were grouped according to these differential characters by numerical analysis with Gower's general similarity co- efficient and UPGMA average linkage clustering. The resulting dendrogram placed the strains in two major clusters. These groupings were confirmed by princi- pal coordinates analysis based on the average dis- tance measure. The ordination showed that few phys- iological or biochemical tests were discriminatory in isolation, in terms of separating the major clusters. However, strain groupings obtained by these meth- ods strongly reflected previous rDNA and mtDNA molecular classifications.

Studies on the rust Prospodium tuberculatum, a new classical biological control agent released against the invasive alien weed Lantana camara in Australia. 2. Host range

Abstract: A strain of the rust Prospodium tuberculatum from Brazil was screened as a potential biocontrol agent against 40 Australian Lantana camara forms and 52 closely related, non-target plant species. Results under glasshouse conditions showed that the Brazilian rust strain is pathogenic to only two flower colour forms: pink and pink-edged red. Macro- and microsymptoms were recorded using 11 assessment categories and four susceptibility ratings. No macrosymptoms were observed on any of the non-target plants.