Impact of the biocontrol beetle, Cassida rubiginosa, on the secondary weed target, marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30843/nzpp.2018.71.145Keywords:
green thistle beetle, seed viability, alternative host, CirsiumAbstract
The folivorous beetle Cassida rubiginosa was introduced to New Zealand to control the weed, Californian thistle (Cirsium arvense). Although Californian thistle is the primary host, many other thistles are accepted hosts. The objective of this study was to test if the beetle can reduce the fitness of marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre). A potted plant experiment was established with four treatments (0, 50, 100, and 200 larvae/plant). Plant growth (width, height, and number of branches) and reproductive performance (number of flowers, seeds, seed weight and percent germination) parameters were measured. No significant differences were found for any of the measured parameters, except percent germination. Higher larval densities (100 and 200) resulted in approximately 10% less germination compared with lower densities (0 and 50). Under these experimental conditions, C. rubiginosa had minimal impact on the performance of marsh thistle. For the beetle to have an impact, it would likely need to attack smaller, non-bolting rosettes, or be combined with additional stressors that might be encountered in a natural field population.
References
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Huarte R, Benech-Arnold, R. 2005. Incubation under fluctuating temperatures reduces mean base water potential for seed germination in several non-cultivated species. Seed Science Research 15: 89-97. <a>https://doi.org/10.1079/SSR2005199</a>
Paynter Q, Fowler SV, Gourlay AH, Peterson PG, Smith LA, Winks CJ 2015. Relative performance on test and target plants in laboratory tests predicts the risk of non-target attack in the field for arthropod weed biocontrol agents. Biological Control 80: 133-142. <a>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2014.10.007</a>
Pons TL 1984. Possible significance of changes in the light requirement of <i>Cirsium palustre</i> seeds after dispersal in ash coppice. Plant, Cell & Environment 7: 263-268.
Schröder D 1980. The biological control of thistles. Biocontrol News and Information 1: 9-26.
Shea K, Kelly D 1998. Estimating biocontrol agent impact with matrix models: <i>Carduus nutans</i> in New Zealand. Ecological Applications 8: 824-832. <a>https://doi.org/10.1890/1051-0761(1998)008[0824:EBAIWM]2.0.CO;2</a>
Shea K, Sheppard A, Woodburn T 2006. Seasonal lifeâ€history models for the integrated management of the invasive weed nodding thistle <i>Carduus nutans</i> in Australia. Journal of Applied Ecology 43: 517-526. <a>https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2006.01160.x</a>
Sheppard AW 1996. The Interaction between Natural Enemies and Interspecific Plant Competition in the Control of Invasive Pasture Weeds. Proceedings of the IX International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds. Pp. 47-53.
van Leeuwen BH 1981. The role of pollination in the population biology of the monocarpic species <i>Cirsium palustre</i> and <i>Cirsium vulgare</i>. Oecologia 51: 28-32. <a>https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00344647</a>
Webb CJ, Sykes WR, Garnock-Jones PJ 1988. Flora of New Zealand. DSIR, Botany Division, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Winston R, Schwarzländer M, Hinz HL, Day M, Cock M, Julien M 2014. Biological Control of Weeds: A World Catalogue of Agents and Their Target Weeds. USDA Forest Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
Bacher S, Schwab F 2000. Effect of herbivore density, timing of attack and plant community on performance of creeping thistle <i>Cirsium arvense</i> (L.) Scop. (Asteraceae). Biocontrol Science and Technology 10: 343-352. <a>https://doi.org/10.1080/09583150050044619</a>
Ballegaard TK, Warncke E 1985. The age distribution of a <i>Cirsium palustre</i> population in a spring area in Jutland, Denmark. Ecography 8: 59-62. <a>https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.1985.tb01153.x</a>
Bourdôt GW, Fowler SV, Edwards GR, Kriticos DJ, Kean JM, Rahman A, Parsons AJ 2007. Pastoral weeds in New Zealand: status and potential solutions. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 50: 139-161. <a>https://doi.org/10.1080/00288230709510288</a>
Bourdôt GW, Leathwick DM, Hurrell GA, Saville DJ 1998. Relationship between aerial shoot and root biomass in Californian thistle. Proceedings of the New Zealand Plant Protection Society 51: 28-32.
Cartwright B, Kok LT 1990. Feeding by <i>Cassida rubiginosa</i> (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and the effects of defoliation on growth of musk thistles. Journal of Entomological Science 25: 538-547. <a>https://doi.org/10.18474/0749-8004-25.4.538</a>
Cripps MG 2013. Observations on the thistle-feeding tortoise beetle, <i>Cassida rubiginosa</i> (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The Weta 45: 5-13.
Cripps MG, Bourdôt GW, Fowler SV 2013. Sleeper thistles in New Zealand: status and biocontrol potential. New Zealand Plant Protection 66: 99-104.
Cripps MG, Edwards GR, Bourdot GW, Saville DJ, Hinz HL, Fowler SV 2010. Effects of pasture competition and specialist herbivory on the performance of <i>Cirsium arvense</i>. Biocontrol Science and Technology 20: 641-656. <a>https://doi.org/10.1080/09583151003695407</a>
Cripps MG, Gassmann A, Fowler SV, Bourdôt GW, McClay AS, Edwards GR 2011. Classical biological control of <i>Cirsium arvense</i>: Lessons from the past. Biological Control 57: 165-174. <a>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2011.03.011</a>
Cripps MG, Jackman SD, Roquet C, van Koten C, Rostás M, Bourdôt GW, Susanna A 2016. Evolution of Specialization of <i>Cassida rubiginosa</i> on <i>Cirsium arvense</i> (Compositae, Cardueae). Frontiers in Plant Science 7: 1261. <a>https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.01261</a>
Edwards GR, Bourdôt GW, Crawley MJ 2000. Influence of herbivory, competition and soil fertility on the abundance of <i>Cirsium arvense</i> in acid grassland. Journal of Applied Ecology 37: 321-334. <a>https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2664.2000.00495.x</a>
Falińska K 1997. Life history variation in <i>Cirsium palustre</i> and its consequences for the population demography in vegetation succession. Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae 66: 207-220. <a>https://doi.org/10.5586/asbp.1997.027</a>
Fowler SV, Paynter Q, Hayes L, Dodd S, Groeteman R 2010. Biocontrol of weeds in New Zealand: an overview of nearly 85 years. In: Zydenbos SM ed. Seventeenth Australasian Weeds Conference. Christchurch, New Zealand, New Zealand Plant Protection Society. Pp. 211-214.
Hawkes CV, Sullivan JJ 2001. The impact of herbivory on plants in different resource conditions: a metaâ€analysis. Ecology 82: 2045-2058. <a>https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2001)082[2045:TIOHOP]2.0.CO;2</a>
Huarte R, Benech-Arnold, R. 2005. Incubation under fluctuating temperatures reduces mean base water potential for seed germination in several non-cultivated species. Seed Science Research 15: 89-97. <a>https://doi.org/10.1079/SSR2005199</a>
Paynter Q, Fowler SV, Gourlay AH, Peterson PG, Smith LA, Winks CJ 2015. Relative performance on test and target plants in laboratory tests predicts the risk of non-target attack in the field for arthropod weed biocontrol agents. Biological Control 80: 133-142. <a>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2014.10.007</a>
Pons TL 1984. Possible significance of changes in the light requirement of <i>Cirsium palustre</i> seeds after dispersal in ash coppice. Plant, Cell & Environment 7: 263-268.
Schröder D 1980. The biological control of thistles. Biocontrol News and Information 1: 9-26.
Shea K, Kelly D 1998. Estimating biocontrol agent impact with matrix models: <i>Carduus nutans</i> in New Zealand. Ecological Applications 8: 824-832. <a>https://doi.org/10.1890/1051-0761(1998)008[0824:EBAIWM]2.0.CO;2</a>
Shea K, Sheppard A, Woodburn T 2006. Seasonal lifeâ€history models for the integrated management of the invasive weed nodding thistle <i>Carduus nutans</i> in Australia. Journal of Applied Ecology 43: 517-526. <a>https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2006.01160.x</a>
Sheppard AW 1996. The Interaction between Natural Enemies and Interspecific Plant Competition in the Control of Invasive Pasture Weeds. Proceedings of the IX International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds. Pp. 47-53.
van Leeuwen BH 1981. The role of pollination in the population biology of the monocarpic species <i>Cirsium palustre</i> and <i>Cirsium vulgare</i>. Oecologia 51: 28-32. <a>https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00344647</a>
Webb CJ, Sykes WR, Garnock-Jones PJ 1988. Flora of New Zealand. DSIR, Botany Division, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Winston R, Schwarzländer M, Hinz HL, Day M, Cock M, Julien M 2014. Biological Control of Weeds: A World Catalogue of Agents and Their Target Weeds. USDA Forest Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
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Published
2018-06-09
How to Cite
Hettiarachchi, Dilani K., Michael Cripps, Sarah Jackman, Chikako van Koten, Jon Sullivan, and Michael Rostás. “Impact of the Biocontrol Beetle, Cassida Rubiginosa, on the Secondary Weed Target, Marsh Thistle (Cirsium Palustre)”. New Zealand Plant Protection 71 (June 9, 2018): 66–71. Accessed March 30, 2023. https://journal.nzpps.org/index.php/nzpp/article/view/145.
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