Field evaluation of natural ennemies of Tamarix spp. in Southern France
Auteurs : Sobhian (Rouhollah), Fornosari (Luca), Agret (Sylvie) et Rodier (Jean S.)
Année de publication : 1998
Publication : Biological Control
Volume :
12
Fascicule : 3
Pagination : 164-170
Résumé :
During 1993, potted plants of Tamarix ramosissima C. F. Ledebour (saltcedar) from the United States of America and T. gallica L. from France were placed under Tamarix gallica trees at Sete and Vendemian, southern France, and the natural enemies that attacked these plants were recorded. The most promising natural enemies found were three species of Psectrosema (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae); Hypophyes pallidulus (Gravenhorst), Corimalia tamarisci (Gyllenhal), and Coniatus tamarisci F. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae); Stylosomus prob. tamaricis (Herrich-Schaffer) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae); and Agdistis tamaricis (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae). The host specificity of these insects was studied in a field test during 1994. Of the 11 plant species tested, none of the economically important plants and neither Tamarix aphylla (L.) nor any of the nine genera of plants outside the family Tamaricaceae were attacked. The above mentioned natural enemies seem to be specific feeders on saltcedar and are recommended as prospective agents for biological control of T. ramosissima in the United States