Molecular Ecology (2006) 15, 287-297

John A. Goolsby, Paul J. De Barro, Jeffrey R. Makinson, Robert W. Pemberton, Diana M. Hartley and Donald R. Frohlich (2006)
Matching the origin of an invasive weed for selection of a herbivore haplotype for a biological control programme
Molecular Ecology 15 (1), 287-297
Abstract: The Florida Everglades have been invaded by an exotic weed fern, Lygodium microphyllum. Across its native distribution in the Old World tropics from Africa to Australasia it was found to have multiple location-specific haplotypes. Within this distribution, the climbing fern is attacked by a phytophagous mite, Floracarus perrepae, also with multiple haplotypes. The genetic relationship between mite and fern haplotypes was matched by an overarching geographical relationship between the two. Further, mites that occur in the same location as a particular fern haplotype were better able to utilize the fern than mites from more distant locations. From a biological control context, we are able to show that the weed fern in the Everglades most likely originated in northern Queensland, Australia/Papua New Guinea and that the mite from northern Queensland offers the greatest prospect for control.
(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): John A. Goolsby, Paul J. De Barro

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
molecular biology - genes
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
molecular biology - genes

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Lygodium microphyllum (weed)		Papua New Guinea
	Lygodium microphyllum (weed)		U.S.A. (SE)
	Lygodium microphyllum (weed)		Australia (NT+QLD)
Floracarus perrepae (on weeds)	Lygodium microphyllum (weed)