Annals of the Entomological Society of America (2017) 110, 310-316

Veronica Manrique, Ellen C. Lake, Melissa C. Smith, Rodrigo Diaz, Carly Franko, Paul D. Pratt, Min B. Rayamajhi and William A. Overholt (2017)
Comparative evaluation of development and reproductive capacity of two biotypes of Lilioceris cheni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), biological control agents of air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) in Florida
Annals of the Entomological Society of America 110 (3), 310-316
Abstract: A Chinese biotype of Lilioceris cheni Gressitt and Kimoto (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is being mass reared and released in Florida for biological control of the invasive air potato vine, Dioscorea bulbifera L. (Dioscoreales). Another biotype from Nepal is under investigation for determining whether its release would benefit the ongoing biological control program. We compared temperature-dependent development, fecundity, life table parameters, and consumption of the two biotypes in the laboratory. Both biotypes completed development at 20–30 °C, although survival of Chinese beetles was higher at 20 °C and 27.5 °C, and survival of Nepalese beetles was higher at 30 °C. In addition, Nepalese beetles developed at a faster rate at 20 °C, and consumed air potato foliage at a higher rate at 25 °C. The most important difference between the biotypes, with regard to biological control purposes, was the shorter generation time of Nepalese beetles, which resulted in a higher intrinsic rate of population increase, despite much higher fecundity of Chinese beetles. The higher intrinsic rate of increase of the Nepalese beetles may allow a more rapid population increase in the field, and thus, greater damage to air potato plants. However, differences in other life history traits, such as overwintering ability, diapause, and cold tolerance, will also influence field performance.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Rodrigo Diaz, William A. Overholt, Paul D. Pratt, Min B. Rayamajhi

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Dioscorea bulbifera (weed)		U.S.A. (SE)
Lilioceris cheni (weed bioagent)	Dioscorea bulbifera (weed)		Nepal
Lilioceris cheni (weed bioagent)	Dioscorea bulbifera (weed)		U.S.A. (SE)