Biocontrol introduction

Target pest: Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae), green peach aphid

Agent introduced: Ephedrus cerasicola (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Imported:

1992, 1993

Import source:

Norway - laboratory culture originally sourced from throughout Europe

Import notes:

Stufkens & Farrell (1994) - green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) mummies containing developing E. cerasicola were imported into quarantine at Lincoln, Canterbury in 1992 and 1993, from the Norwegian Plant Protection Institute. The Norwegian colony was founded on E. cerasicola collected throughout Europe. At Lincoln, the parasitoids were reared on green peach aphid on rape.

Released:

Stufkens & Farrell (1994) - not released [see 'General comments' section].

Impacts on non-targets:

Stufkens & Farrell (1994) - host range testing was carried out in quarantine at Lincoln. Twenty-three aphid species (including five of the seven known native species) were exposed to E. cerasicola in choice and no-choice tests. Many of the test species, including all five natives species, were parasitised.

General comments:

Stufkens & Farrell (1994) - Ephedrus cerasicola is unlikely to be approved for release as it parasitised all five native aphid species tested in laboratory trials [see ‘Impacts on non-targets’ section]. Therefore, a request to release will not be submitted and the parasitoid culture has been destroyed.

References

Stufkens MW, Farrell JA (1994). Quarantine host range tests on two exotic parasitoids imported for aphid control. Proc. 47th New Zealand Plant Protection Conf. :149-153