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 1:30pm Introductions . Kris Serbesoff-King  1:35pm Technical Presentation . Cogongrass biocontrol by Bill Overholt  2:05pm CISMA Updates: . Everglades CISMA, Dennis Giardina  2:20pm Shout outs  2:30pm End Technical Presentation Cogongrass Biocontrol Efforts By Bill Overholt An update on the search for biological control agents of cogongrass

W. A. Overholt/1, J. P. Cuda/1, J. A. Goolsby/2, A. Racelis/3, B. P. Le Ru/4, K. Takasu/5, A. M. Burrell/6 and P. E. Klein/6 /1University of Florida /2USDA/ARS /3University of Texas, Panamerican /4International Center of Physiology and Ecology /5Kyushu University /6Texas A&M University

CISMA Monthly Call August 2014

Outline

• Background on cogongrass • Previous work on biological control • Areas to explore • African stemborers • Asian • What’s next

Cogongrass • Perennial • Rhizotomous (60% of biomass in rhizome)

• C4 photosynthesis • Displaces native/desirable vegetation • Evidence of alleopathy • Increases frequency and severity of fires Distribution of Imperata cylindrica

Source: Global Biodiversity Information Facility (gbif.org) Imperata species in the USA

Imperata cylindrica

Imperata Imperata brevifolia brasiliensis Origins of cogongrass in southeastern USA

Japan

Genotype matching of US Imperata The cylindrica samples and international Philippines samples through genotyping by sequencing

Courtesy of Millie Burrell and Patricia Klein, Texas A&M University Grass phylogeny

Bouchenak-Khelladi et al. 2008. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 47: 488-505. Related Andropogoneae in southeastern USA

Polytris amaura Javanesegrass Exotic Microstegium vimineum Napalese browntop Exotic/invasive in some areas Miscanthus sinensis Zebragrass Exotic/invasive in some areas Sorghum bicolor Cultivated sorghum Exotic Sorghum halapense Johnson grass Exotic, weed Imperata brasiliensis Brazilian satintail Native/exotic? Saccharum alopecuroides Silver plumegrass Native baldwinii Narrow plumegrass Native brevibarbe Bentawn plumegrass Native coarctatum Sugarcane plumegrass Native giganteum Sugarcane plumegrass Native ravennae Ravennagrass Exotic officinarum Sugarcane Exotic Grasses as biological control targets

• Often thought to have few specialized herbivores due to: • Simple architecture • Scarcity of secondary metabolites • Feeding deterrents (e.g. silica) • Fear of non-target effects to crop grasses • 50% of human caloric intake from cereals But, grasses may be better targets than we think

Grass Insect Reference Arundo donax Tetramesa romana Goolsby and Moran, 2009 (Eurytomidae) Rhizaspidiotus donacis Goolsby et al. 2009 (Diaspididae)

Spartina alterniflora Prokelisia martinata Grevstad et al. 2003 (Delphacidae) Phragmites australis 66 monophagous species outside Tewksbury et al. 2002 of North America Hymenachne variegatus Diaz et al. 2010 amplexicaulis () Previous work on biological control of cogongrass

• Outside of the USA, 66 pathogens, 42 insects, two nematodes, and one mite have been found on I. cylindrica (Van Loon et al. 2002) • Two fungal pathogens tested in Florida; Bipolaris sacchari and Drechslera gigantea (Yandoc et al. 2005) • Only insect natural enemy investigated was a gall midge from Java, Orseolia javanica. Limited host range testing suggested that it may be a specialist of cogongrass • In 2008/09, stemboring lepidopterans were found feeding on cogongrass in Africa Where to look for natural enemies?

Japan source population Florida Philippines source population East Africa Gulf Coast Insects found Indonesia South America? Insects found Geographic location of literature records for Imperata cylindrica

Literature records

Evans, H. C. 1991 International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi, Kenya Biodiversity of lepidopteran stemborers of African grasses Acrapex spp., a noctuid genus associated with Imperata cylindrica and related species in East and southern Africa

Le Ru, B. P., C. Capdevielle-Dulac, E. F.A. Toussaint, D. Conlong, J. Van den Berg, B. Pallangyo, G. Ong’amo, R. Molo, W. Overholt, J. Cuda and G. J. Kergoat. 2014. Molecular phylogenetics and Systematics of Acrapex stem borers (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Apameini). Invertebrate Systematics (accepted May, 2013). Njombe, Tanzania Kalinzu, Uganda Tanzania – Feb 2013

Acrapex yakoba Kenya and Uganda, May 2014 Acrapex syscia Control by goats and Cattle?

On to the Philippines and Japan…….

Japan source population

Philippines source population

Insects found in the Philippines

Insect Location/damage Mite causing stippling (no specimen ) On leaf, causing stippling Pyrochorid Several, sitting on plant Sessiid moth abundant and sitting on cogon Several adults sitting on leaves Atherigona sp. Stem borer Ceroplastes soft scale feeding on crown no visible damage Feeding at plant crown Elaterid beetle larvae feeding inside stem Inside stem Armoured scale feeding at crown (no specimens) Feeding at plant crown Mealybug feeding on crown Feeding at plant crown Galls in stem - no insects found Root aphids On roots white grub Near roots big white grub Near roots Galls on roots On roots Whitefly On leaf Yellow mealybug Behind leaf sheath Lepidopteran larva Stem borer Wax scale On stem Small hairy lepidopteran larva Leaf sheath Atherigona orientalis Pyralid stemborer But, cogongrass does reach high densities at some locations in the Philppines.. Japan

Kyushu University Insects found in Japan

Insect Location/damage Black scale On leaves Contarinia sp. larva In stem Grasshopper 1 On leaves Grasshopper 2 On leaf White scale On leaves Plant hopper 1 On stems, abundant Plant hopper 2 On stems Chrysomelid adult 1 On leaves Chrysomelid adult 2 On leaf Chrysomelid adult 3 On leaf Chrysomelid adult 4 On leaf Hesperiid larva Leaf tier Fly maggot, larger than Contarinia In stem Geometrid larva Feeding on leaf Lepidopteran larva Stemborer Tettigoniid On leaf Monophlebidae On leaf Pentatomidae On stem Cicadellidae On leaf Cicada On stem Mealybugs Leaf sheath, near ground, common Fulgorids On stem Aphids Roots Chrysomelid 5 On leaf Mites On leaves Contarinia sp. Acrapex azumai Sugi

• Before we found A. azumai in cogongrass, the host plant was unknown • Therefore, unlikely to attack sugarcane or major cereals

K. Takasu, Y. Yoshiyasu, A. M. Burrell, P.E. Klein, A. Racelis, J. A. Goosby and W. A. Overholt. 2014. First host record for Acrapex azumai Sugi (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Lepidoptera Science (submitted) Another borer, not yet identified Planthopper But, cogongrass does reach high densities at some locations in Japan .... Summary

• High diversity of insect herbivores in Asia and likely Africa • Lepidopteran stemborers and gall midges may be particularly damaging • Despite insect herbivory, cogongrass is still a weed in the Philippines and Japan • In East Africa, densities are typically low It takes a village to do weed biocontrol………… QUESTIONS ? CISMA Update Everglades CISMA By Dennis Giardina Year in Review 11th Annual Everglades Invasive Species Summit E verglades CISMA Organizational Chart

Steering FOE Inc. Committee

Rapid Operations Research Outreach Response Subcommittee Subcommittee Subcommittee Subcommittee

Strike Team Plant Team (FISST)

Animal Team

2014 Lumnitzera Racemosa Workdays

ECISMA Webmaster Chuck Bargeron 2014 DASM

Laurel Wilt in Big Cypress National Preserve 2014 DASM

Brazilian Pepper 2013/2014

2014 Redwing Workdays

Pet Amnesty Days Pet Amnesty Days Pet Amnesty Days

Brugueria gymnorrhiza Workdays

Giant Brake Fern DOI Invasive Species Strategic Action Framework Last (6th) Framework Meeting – June 19, 2014 Next (7th) Framework Meeting – August 27, 2014

Dalchampia Workdays

Mikania Workdays

2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up 2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up 2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up 2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up 2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up 2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up 2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up 2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up 2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up 2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up 2014 Non-Native Fish Round-up

Partner of the Year Award Jennifer Possley Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Shout Outs

What’s happening? What’s happened? What’s about to happen? Next Month’s Call

September 24, 2014 Technical Presentation: . Water Lettuce by Jason Evans CISMA Update:

Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) Monthly Call – Hosted by the Florida Invasive Species Partnership (FISP) participation is voluntary, we promise it will only last 1 hour, and we can guarantee that you will enjoy the conversations

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