Abstract
Nanaia sp. was collected onOpuntia pascoensis Britton & Rose in Peru and introduced into South Africa for biological control ofOpuntia aurantiaca Lindley. Since this is a new insect-plant association the chances of successful biological control could theoretically be enhanced. However, pre-release insectary studies showed that apart from the adverse affects of insectary rearing, larval development was slower, less larvae survived, smaller adults emerged and reproduction was suppressed onO. aurantiaca compareded toO. pascoensis. The new association ofNanaia sp. onO. aurantiaca will probably not succeed and, although field trials should be conducted to confirm this, an extensive mass-rearing and release programme would be a waste of time, finances and effort.
Résumé
Nanaia sp. a été récolté surOpuntia pascoensis Britton & Rose au Pérou et introduit en Afrique du Sud pour lutter biologiquement contreOpuntia aurantiaca Lindley. Depuis l'existence de cette nouvelle association Insecte-Plante, les chances d'une lutte biologique efficace pourraient être théoriquement augmentées. Cependant, les études de laboratoire avant lâcher montraient les effets adverses de l'élevage de laboratoire, le développement larvaire était plus lent, la survie larvaire était diminuée, des adultes plus petits apparaissaient et la reproduction était supprimée surO. aurantiaca par rapport àO. pascoensis. La nouvelle associationNanaia sp./O. aurantiaca ne sera probablement pas vouée au succès, bien que des essais de plein champ devraient être développés pour le confirmer, un vaste programme d'élevage et de lâcher serait une perte de temps et un gaspillage d'argent et d'effort.
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Hoffmann, J.H. Pre-release assessment ofNanaia sp. [Lepidoptera: Phycitidae] fromOpuntia pascoensis for biological control ofOpuntia aurantiaca [Cactaceae] . Entomophaga 33, 81–86 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02372316
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02372316