Host specificity of Calophya terebinthifolii, a biological control candidate for Brazilian peppertree in Florida.
Patricia Prade, William A. Overholt & James P. Cuda Brazilian peppertree is native to tropical and subtropical regions of South America
• Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi, Anacardiaceae • Perennial tree • Coastal and open areas • Restoration of damaged ecosystems
Reitz et al., 1988 Carvalho, 1994 BP was introduced into FL as an ornamental plant in the late 1800s • Nearly 280,000 ha infested • Invades disturbed and natural sites • Displaces native vegetation • Allelopathic
Cuda et al, 2006 EddMaps, 2016 Psyllid from Brazil Candidate for biological control
• Calophya terebinthifolii Burckhardt & Brazil Basset (Hemiptera: Calophyidae) • Discovered in Santa Catarina, Brazil • Abundant during spring and summer
Male Female
Buckhardt & Basset, 2000 Christ et al., 2013 A word about psyllids……
• Psyllids have a bad reputation in Florida • Psyllid is a common name for the ‘Psylloidea’ Psylloidea • No members of the family Calophyidae are known to vector plant diseases
Psyllidae Triorizidae Phacopteronidae Homotomidae Carsidaridae Calophyidae
Asian citrus psyllid Calophya sp.
Overholt et al., 2015 Calophya terebinthifolii life cycle: 44 days
Christ et al., 2013 Intimate relationship with the host High specificity
• Plant responds to insect feeding by inducing galls Host Specificity of Calophya terebinthifolii
Specific objectives
1) Plant species that are suitable for adult oviposition, gall formation and adult emergence
2) Survival of adults on non-target plants Plants selected using the Centrifugal Phylogenetic Method
Target Weed
Other Plant species; same genera Native and Other Genera; same tribe Endangered spp. Other Tribe; same Family Plant Families of Economic/Aesthetic Value
Redrawn from Rees et al., 1995 Diaz et al., 2015 Experimental setup Oviposition, gall formation and adult emergence
• 36 species • 7 families
• 20 adults per plant • 5 replicates per plant • Always with one BP plant
• Experiment conducted from February until July, 2015
• Greenhouse conditions – Ft Pierce, FL. Oviposition occurred only in Anacardiaceae species
180 160 Schinus terebinthifolia 160 Schinus polygamus
plant 140 Schinus molle 120 Pistacia vera Golden Hills 100 Pistacia UCB
of eggs of per 80 59 60
40 Number 20 9 5 10 0 1 In non-target species, the nymph died or could not complete its development
Schinus molle After 30 days
Pistacia vera Golden Hills Schinus terebinthifolia After 16 days After 30 days Experimental setup Adult survival
• 13 species selected • + Cotton with water
• 20 adults per plant • 5 replicates per plant
• Experiment conducted from May until July, 2015
• Greenhouse conditions – Ft Pierce, FL.
Adult survival low on no-target plants Adult Adult survival
Times (Days) Calophya terebinthifollii presents low risk to non-target species
• Oviposition in only 5 Anacardiaceae species • Nymphal development, gall formation and adult emergence only in BP • Low survival rate on non-target species Future studies
• Increase the list of species tested – Include non-anacard native plants – Ornamentals – Crop plants
• Measure the damage caused by the insect on Brazilian peppertree
• Field study in progress, Gaspar, Brazil Light at the end of the tunnel?
• Release petition for Calophya latiforceps was submitted to USDA in April, 2015. Waiting outcome, • Release petition for Pseudophilothrips ichini was submitted in August, 2014. Waiting outcome, • Release petition for Apocnemidophorus pipitzi has been submitted to USDA, additional testing nearing completion Acknowledgments • Carolina, Liz Calise
Thank you for your attention,
Patricia Prade [email protected]
Thanks to The Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute
Questions?