Long-term field evaluation of Mecinus janthinus releases against Dalmatian toadflax in Montana (USA)

摘要

The toadflax stem mining weevil, Mecinus janthinus Germar, was first released in the United States in Montana, in 1996. This agent has now become established to varying degrees after subsequent releases made at sites throughout the state. Multiple releases of M. janthinus have presented researchers with a unique opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of this agent in diverse habitats and under a variety of environmental conditions. The results presented in this paper summarize findings from long-term field data, illustrating not only the impact of M. janthinus on the target weed, Dalmatian toadflax, Linaria dalmatica (L.) P. Mill., but also on correlated plant community dynamics. These results additionally provide a valuable means to compare and contrast the biotic response and control efficacy of this agent at both a regional and sub-continental scale.