Establishment of the armored scale, Rhizaspidiotus donacis, a biological control agent of Arundo donax.

摘要

The armored scale biological control agent, Rhizaspidiotus donacis, also known as the arundo scale, has established populations on the invasive weed, Arundo donax, in Del Rio, Texas and in the field plots at the USDA-APHIS-PPQ-Moore Airbase, Edinburgh, Texas. At Moore Airbase, 147 000 scale crawlers were released from 17 december 2010 to 26 January 2011 on outdoor irrigated stands of A. donax In Del Rio, Texas, 634 947 crawlers were released from 27 January to 5 April 2011 into natutal stands of A. donax adjacent to Rio Grande. Five months after release, 30 stem crowns side shoots, and leaf collars were inspected at each release location. Mature females were found on 30 and 19 of the stems and rhizomes at Del Rio and Moore Airbase, respectively. These results reflect the first use of a diaspidid scale for biological control of an exotic invasive weed, and constitute the first record of establishment and reproduction of R. donacis in the field of North America.