International Journal of Tropical Insect Science (2010) 30, 67-76

Fernando McKay, Marina Oleiro, Andries Fourie and David Simelane (2010)
Natural enemies of balloon vine Cardiospermum grandiflorum (Sapindaceae) in Argentina and their potential use as biological control agents in South Africa
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science 30 (2), 67-76
Abstract: Exploratory field surveys of the natural enemies associated with balloon vine Cardiospermum grandiflorum Swartz, an environmental weed in South Africa, Australia and other countries, were conducted in northern Argentina from 2005 to 2009. The surveys included other plant species in the genus Cardiospermum and other native Sapindaceae, permitting an assessment of the distribution and host range of the natural enemies. Seventeen phytophagous insects in five orders and ten families, and two fungal pathogens were found. The nature of the potential agents' damage, their field distribution and abundance, and the results of preliminary host-specificity testing indicated that the seed-feeding weevil Cissoanthonomus tuberculipennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and the fruit-galling midge Contarinia sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) were the most promising biological control agents for C. grandiflorum outside of its native range.
(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): Fernando Mc Kay, David O. Simelane

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Cardiospermum grandiflorum (weed)		South Africa
	Cardiospermum grandiflorum (weed)		Argentina
Contarinia (genus - weed bioagents)	Cardiospermum grandiflorum (weed)		Argentina
Cissoanthonomus tuberculipennis (weed bioagent)	Cardiospermum grandiflorum (weed)		Argentina