9/27/2020 Biological Control of Brazilian Peppertree Dr. Carey R. Minteer* UF/IFA S Indian River Research and Education Center Fort Pierce Aquatic W eed Control Short Course 2020 1 BRAZILIAN PEPPERTREE (BP) • Schinus terebinthifolia • Anacardiaceae • Perennial tree • Coastal and open areas 2 BRAZILIAN PEPPERTREE (BP) • Schinus terebinthifolia • Anacardiaceae • Perennial tree • Coastal and open areas 3 1 9/27/2020 EDDMapS.org, 2020 4 BRAZILIAN PEPPERTREE WAS INTRODUCED INTO FL IN THE LATE 1800S • Nearly 280,000 ha infested • Invades disturbed and natural sites • Displaces native vegetation Cuda et al, 2006 EDDMaps, 2020 5 BRAZILIAN PEPPERTREE WAS INTRODUCED INTO FL IN THE LATE 1800S • Nearly 280,000 ha infested • Invades disturbed and natural sites • Displaces native vegetation • Dr. Geo Stone (physician who introduced BP into Punta Gorda) “It ought to be in every garden in Florida” Cuda et al, 2006 EddMaps, 2020 6 2 9/27/2020 ANNUAL CONTROL COSTS (FLO RIDA) • State and fe d e ra l agencies $2.5 million/ year on publicly-held conservation lands (Hiatt et al., 2019) • Does not include private lands 7 7 WHAT MAKES BRAZILIAN PEPPERTREE SO AGGRESSIVE? • Tolerance to shad e, fire, drought and saline conditions • Allelophathiceffects to neighboring plants • Hybrid vigor • Massive plant grow th and fru it production • Long disp ersal by birds Panetta and McKee 1997, Ewel 1978, Doren et al. 1991. Morgan and Overholt 2005 8 BRAZILIAN PEPPERTREE CONTROL BIOLOGICAL Pseudophilothrips ichini Calophya latiforceps Wheeler et al. 2016 Diaz et al. 2014 9 3 9/27/2020 Calophya latiforceps Burckhardt Male Female Brazil Buckhardt et al, 2011 Diaz et al, 2014 10 DEVELOPMENT TIME FROM EGG TO ADULT TAKES 40 TO 45 DAYS Egg: 7‐10 days Nymph: 30‐40 days 11 OVIPOSITION- CALOPHYA LATIFORCEPS 250 Schinus terebinthifolia Schinus molle 200 Schinus polygamus plant Toxicodendron radicans per Pistacia chinensis 150 laid Pistacia vera Atlantica eggs Rhus copallinum 100 of 50 Number 0 C. latiforceps C. lutea Prade et al. 2016 12 4 9/27/2020 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 Prade et al. 2016 13 DAMAGE ON BP INCLUDES YELLOWING, DEFORMATION AND IN SEVERE INFESTATIONS LEAF DROP Prade et al. 2016 14 PIT GALLS REDUCE PLANT GROWTH 0.07 60 Control Insects Control 0.06 50 Insects 0.05 40 0.04 (cm) 30 0.03 20 0.02 Increase in plantheightIncrease in 10 Proportion of missing leaves of missing Proportion 0.01 0 0 Prade et al. 2016 15 5 9/27/2020 PLANTS WITH INSECTS HAD 12% LOWER RELATIVE GROWTH RATE (NS) 2 Control 1.8 Insects 1.6 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 Relative Growth Rate Relative Growth 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 Prade et al. 2016 16 TH E VERDICT ON CALOPHYA LATIFO RCEPS • Host sp ecific! • Dam aging to BP! • Approved for release!! 17 CALOPHYA LATIFO RCEPS REARING 18 6 9/27/2020 CALOPHYA LATIFO RCEPS CURRENT STATUS • COVID-19 travel re strictions in place • Must collect Calophya latiforceps in sum m er m onths • November – January best • Establish colony in containm ent (2-3 m onths) • Cleared by FDACS-DPI • Releases mid-2021 (best case) This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY‐SA 19 Pseudophilothrips ichini Calophya latiforceps Wheeler et al. 2016 Diaz et al. 2014 20 BP TH RIPS Wheeler et al. 2016 21 7 9/27/2020 BP TH RIPS • Host specificity • Tested 127 plant ta xa G. Wheeler • 33 orders • 45 fam ilies • Very narrow host range (lab te sting) • Field testing is underway Cuda et al. 2009 E. Vichich Wheeler et al. 2017 22 BP THRIPS IMPACT • After 30-day exposure to thrips Manrique et al. 2014 23 THRIPS “V ERD ICT” • Host sp ecific • Dam aging • Approved for release! • Release began in Florida in June 2019 24 8 9/27/2020 CURRENT RELEASES • Over 200,000 across state • Multiple releases (uncaged) • Caged release testing in progress 25 AGENT SPREAD This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY‐SA‐NC 26 ACKNOW LEDGM ENTS • Minteer Lab • Collaborators overseas • Drs. Marcelo Vitorino, Fernando McKay • Collaborators • Drs. Eutychus Kariuki, Patricia Prade, Jam es Cuda (UF-IFA S) • Drs. Greg W heeler, Min Rayam ajhi, Dale Halbritter (USDA-ARS) • UF/IFA S Extension Agents • Drs. Eric Rohrig, Em ily Kraus, Chris Kerr and Sedonia Steininger (FDACS-DPI) • Dr. Veronica Manrique (Southern University ) • Dr. Rodrigo Diaz (Louisiana State University ) 27 9 9/27/2020 THANKS FO R YOUR ATTENTION! Randy Westbrooks [email protected] FDACS‐DPI Twitter: @c_minteer Facebook: Minteer Biological Control of Weeds Lab 28 10.