cover.qx4 26/6/98 9:34 AM Page 2 Biological Control of Insect Pests: Southeast Asian Prospects D.F. Waterhouse Biological Control of Insect Pests: Southeast Asian Prospects D.F. Waterhouse (ACIAR Consultant in Plant Protection) Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Canberra 1998 The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) was established in June 1982 by an Act of the Australian Parliament. Its primary mandate is to help identify agricultural problems in developing countries and to commission collaborative research between Australian and developing country researchers in fields where Australia has special competence. Where trade names are used this constitutes neither endorsement of nor discrimination against any product by the Centre. ACIAR MONOGRAPH SERIES This peer-reviewed series contains the results of original research supported by ACIAR, or deemed relevant to ACIARÕs research objectives. The series is distributed internationally, with an emphasis on the Third World ©Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research GPO Box 1571, Canberra, ACT 2601. Waterhouse, D.F. 1998, Biological Control of Insect Pests: Southeast Asian Prospects. ACIAR Monograph No. 51, 548 pp + viii, 1 fig. 16 maps. ISBN 1 86320 221 8 Design and layout by Arawang Communication Group, Canberra Cover: Nezara viridula adult, egg rafts and hatching nymphs. Printed by Brown Prior Anderson, Melbourne ii Contents Foreword vii 1 Abstract 1 2 Estimation of biological control prospects 2 3 Introduction 3 4 Target insect pests 9 4.1 Agrius convolvuli 9 Rating 10 Origin 10 Distribution 10 Biology 10 Host plants 11 Damage 11 Natural enemies 11 Attempts at classical biological control 14 Discussion 16 4.2 Anomis flava 17 Rating 18 Origin 18 Distribution 18 Biology 18 Host plants 19 Damage 19 Natural enemies 21 Attempts at classical biological control 27 Major natural enemies 31 Discussion 31 4.3 Aphis craccivora 33 Rating 34 Origin 34 Distribution 34 Biology 34 Host plants 35 Damage 35 Natural enemies 36 Comments 44 4.4 Aphis gossypii 45 Rating 46 Origin 46 Distribution 46 Biology 46 Host plants 47 Damage 47 iii Natural enemies 48 Attempts at biological control 60 The major parasitoid species 70 An aphid-specific predator 79 Comments 80 4.5 Cosmopolites sordidus 85 Rating 86 Origin 86 Distribution 86 Biology 87 Damage 88 Host plants 89 Natural enemies 89 Attempts at biological control 95 Biology of main natural enemies 103 Comments 104 4.6 Deanolis sublimbalis 105 Synonyms 106 Rating 106 Origin 106 Distribution 106 Biology 107 Host plants 108 Damage 109 Natural enemies 111 Comment 112 4.7 Diaphorina citri 113 Rating 114 Origin 114 Distribution 114 Biology 115 Host plants 116 Damage 116 Natural enemies 120 Attempts at biological control 127 Major natural enemies 131 Comments 133 4.8 Dysdercus cingulatus 135 Rating 136 Origin 136 Distribution 136 Biology 136 Host plants 137 Damage 137 Natural enemies 137 Comment 138 4.9 Dysmicoccus brevipes 141 Rating 142 Origin 142 Distribution 142 Taxonomy 142 iv Biology 143 Hosts 144 Damage 144 Natural enemies 145 Attempts at biological control 145 Major natural enemies 155 Comments 156 4.10 Hypothenemus hampei 157 Rating 158 Origin 158 Distribution 158 Biology 159 Host plants 163 Damage 164 Natural enemies 166 Attempts at biological control 170 Major parasite species 176 Comments 180 4.11 Leucinodes orbonalis 185 Rating 186 Origin 186 Distribution 186 Biology 187 Host plants 187 Damage 189 Natural enemies 189 Attempts at biological control 192 Major natural enemies 192 Comments 194 4.12 Nezara viridula 197 Rating 198 Origin 198 Distribution 198 Biology 199 Damage 199 Natural enemies 200 The role of pheromones and other chemical secretions 208 Attempts at biological control 209 Biology of the major species 228 Comments 233 4.13 Ophiomyia phaseoli 235 Rating 236 Origin 236 Distribution 236 Biology 237 Host plants 237 Damage 238 Natural enemies 239 Attempts at biological control 249 The more important parasitoids 251 Comment 255 v 4.14 Phyllocnistis citrella 257 Rating 258 Origin 258 Distribution 258 Biology 259 Host plants 262 Damage 263 Natural enemies 264 Attempts at biological control 279 Major natural enemies 282 Comment 285 4.15 Planococcus citri 287 Rating 288 Origin 288 Distribution 288 Biology 289 Host plants 289 Damage 290 Natural enemies 290 Attempts at biological control 296 Biology of important natural enemies 311 Comments 315 4.16 Trichoplusia ni 317 Rating 318 Origin 318 Distribution 318 Biology 318 Host plants 319 Damage 320 Natural enemies 320 Introductions for biological control of T. ni 334 Major parasitoid species 340 Comment 345 5 References 349 6 Index of scientific names of insects 477 7 General index 531 vi Foreword Since its inception in 1982, ACIAR has been a very strong supporter of classical biological control as a key element in the management of exotic arthropod and weed pests. When practiced with appropriate safeguards, it often provides a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to the growing use of pesticides, particularly when integrated, if necessary, with the use of resistant plant varieties and cultural controls. Classical biological control has been very successful in regions of the world (e.g. Australia, California, New Zealand, Oceania) where a large number of the major insect pests and weeds are exotic. This situation applies to a far lesser extent to Southeast Asia but, in a recent survey commissioned by ACIAR, Waterhouse (1993b) identified 40 major arthropod pests that merited evaluation as possible targets for biological control. Not all of these (e.g. the indigenous fruit flies) are attractive targets, but some at least are. The present volume is a companion to Biological Control of Weeds: Southeast Asian Prospects (Waterhouse 1994). It summarises what is known about the natural enemies (principally the parasitoids) of the major exotic insect pests and indicates prospects for their biological control. The aim has been to facilitate, for countries of the region, the selection of promising individual, or collaborative, priority insect pest targets. This should also provide donor agencies with a readily accessible overview of the regionÕs major exotic insect pest problems and with an evaluation, where possible, of prospects for their amelioration by introduction of natural enemies. This should assist in the selection, for support, of projects that are best suited to their individual terms of reference. R. Clements Director Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research vii Introduction 1 1 Abstract Biological control programs have been mounted in some region(s) of the world against 13 of the 16 dossier pests and substantial or partial success has been achieved in one or more countries for 8. On the basis of available information there are good to excellent prospects for reducing, in at least some parts of the region, the damage caused by the following: Leucinodes orbonalis, Nezara viridula, Ophiomyia phaseoli and Planococcus citri. There are also good reasons for believing that there will prove to be valuable natural enemies for the following: Agrius convolvuli, Anomis flava, Aphis craccivora, Aphis gossypii, Diaphorina citri, Dysmicoccus brevipes, Hypothenemus hampei, Phyllocnistis citrella and Trichoplusia ni. There seems to be little prospect for classical biological control of Dysdercus cingulatus, too little is known about Deanolis sublimbalis and the prospects for control of Cosmopolites sordidus are unclear, although its lack of pest status in Myanmar is puzzling. 2 Biological Control of Insect Pests: Southeast Asian Prospects 2 Estimation of biological control prospects Insect Rating Family Any Attractiveness biological as a target in control SE Asia successes Agrius convolvuli 7 Sphingidae yes medium Anomis flava 10 Noctuidae yes low to medium Aphis craccivora 15 Aphididae ? medium Aphis gossypii 19 Aphididae yes medium Cosmopolites sordidus 13 Curculionidae ? uncertain Deanolis sublimbalis 3 Pyralidae no uncertain Diaphorina citri 8 Psyllidae yes medium Dysdercus cingulatus 11 Pyrrhocoridae no v. low Dysmicoccus brevipes 10 Pseudococcidae yes medium Hypothenemus hampeii 12 Scolytidae yes medium Leucinodes orbonalis 15 Pyralidae no medium to high Nezara viridula 10 Pentatomidae yes high Ophiomyia phaseoli 14 Agromyzidae yes high Phyllocnistis citrella 16 Phyllocnistidae yes medium Planococcus citri 7 Pseudococcidae yes high Trichoplusia ni 7 Noctuidae yes medium Introduction 3 3 Introduction Waterhouse (1993b) published information, collected from agricultural and weed experts in the 10 countries of Southeast Asia, on the distribution and importance of their major arthropod pests in agriculture. Ratings were supplied on the basis of a very simple system +++ very widespread and very important ++ widespread and important + important only locally P present, but not an important pest The advantages and limitations of this system were discussed by Waterhouse (1993b). Of 160 insect and mite pests nominated as important in Southeast Asia, a subset of 47 was rated as particularly so. The aim of the present work has been to summarise information relevant to the prospects for classical biological control of the most important of those of this subset of 47 that are thought to have evolved outside Southeast Asia. The assumption is that many of these have been introduced without some (sometimes without any) of the natural enemies that help to control them where they evolved. The chances are very much lower for