Vitorino, M.D., Pedrosa-Macedo, J.H., & Smith, C.W. 2000 The biology of Tectococcus ovatus Hempel (Heteroptera: Eriococcidae) and its potential as a biocontrol agent of Psidium cattleianum (Myrtaceae). Proceedings of the X International Symposium on Biological Control of... 651-657

Notes: Full title of Proceedings: Proceedings of the X International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds 4-14 July 1999, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA Neal R. Spencer [ed.]. (2000) The great diversity of the South American flora has interested botanists and agronomists for more than 200 years. Many species have been introduced to other tropical and subtropical areas. Some of the introductions have been of considerable agricultural or horticultural importance, e.g., pineapple Ananas comosus (Bromeliaceae), rubber Hevea brasiliensis (Euphorbiaceae), but others have become major pests, e.g., ara.. (Brazil) or strawberry guava (elsewhere) Psidium cattleianum Sabine (Myrtaceae), Brazilian peppertree Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Anacardiaceae), water lettuce Pistia stratiotes L. (Araceae), tropical soda apple Solanum viarum Dunal (Solanaceae) (VITORINO, 1995). In the absence of its natural enemies Tectococcus ovatus may be very effective as a biological control agent because heavy infestations result in premature leaf drop. In some instances, complete defoliation of the tree has been observed. Even with the high parasitoid load and predation in Brazil T. ovatus is a significant limiting factor of P. cattleianum. Host range testing in Brazil suggests that T. ovatus is confined to perhaps only two species. It is recommended that any country wishing to introduce this species evaluate whether or not T. ovatus will attack their native and commercially important myrtaceous species. Managers will also need to look at the range of coccid parasitoids in their area and evaluate the impact. High numbers of galls result in premature leaf drop and weaken the host if a large number of leaves are lost. This agent, however, will be not able to control strawberry guava alone because it is most effective only at high elevations of the host plant's range. This is a particularly attractive characteristic for Hawaiian forest managers because the remnants of native forest are essentially confined to upper elevations. Finally, this insect is relatively easy to manipulate and transfer from one country to another. One shipment took 10 days to arrive in Hawaii but viable nymphs were still present. The presence of dispersing nymphs during most months of the year also means that it will be possible to infest populations elsewhere even if they produce flushing shoots during restricted, short periods of the year. Strawberry guava is native to the Atlantic forest ecosystem of Southeastern Brazil. It occurs as a major component of the coastal restinga vegetation and as an occasional understory tree in the forest up to 1300 m elevation. It is common in disturbed areas frequently invading abandoned fields. It is a highly variable species whose taxonomy has been the subject of some considerable uncertainty (FOSBERG, 1971). There are at least three forms commonly agreed upon: a tree up to 10 m tall with elliptical, yellow fruit; a shrub rarely above 5 m with round, red fruit; and a form similar to the red but with yellow fruit. The size of the red- and yellow-coloured fruit is the same but the yellow-fruit have fewer larger seeds than the red form. In Brazil, the red-fruited form is confined to elevations above 900 m and is quite rare, whereas the yellow-fruited form is found throughout the range of the species. ? 652 Vitorino et al. Eriococcidae) was readily manipulated in the laboratory. This coccid appeared to satisfy the immediate criterion that it attack P. cattleianum and not P. guajava because galls were not found on latter when the two plants were growing together. It was consequently believed to attack only the target organism, as is true for other species of this group (COSTA LIMA, 1942). This paper describes the biology of this insect, some preliminary experiments detailing its host specificity and concludes that this species is a biological control candidate of considerable potential against strawberry guava in Hawaii and elsewhere in the world where this weed is a problem.