Southern Research Station

Title: 

Host Specificity of Argopistes tsekooni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a Potential Biological Control Agent of Chinese Privet

Author: Zhang, Yan Zhuo; Hanula, James; Sun, Jiang Hua

Date: 2008

Source: J. Econ. Ent. 101(4): 1148-1151

Description: Chinese privet, Ligustrum sinense Lour., is a perennial semi-evergreen shrub that is a

serious invasive weed in the United States. Classical biological control offers the best hope for

controlling it in an economic, effective, and persistent way. Host speciÞcity of one of the most

promising biological control agents of Chinese privet, a ßea beetle, Argopistes tsekooni Chen (Coleoptera:

Chrysomelidae), was evaluated in China by using laboratory no-choice and choice tests on

13 species of Oleaceae and eight species in other families that have important economic value. In adult

no-choice survival and oviposition tests, the ßea beetle fed and survived for 30 d on Syringa oblata

Lindl., Jasminum nudiflorum Lindl., and three species in the genus Ligustrum. Females also oviposited

on these species, but only larvae from eggs laid on S. oblata and Ligustrum spp. developed successfully.

In addition, the beetles did not feed or oviposit on the species of economic importance. In choice tests,

adults preferred L. sinense for feeding and oviposition. These results show that A. tsekooni is relatively

host speciÞc and warrants further testing as a biocontrol agent of Chinese privet in the United States.

Keywords: Argopistes tsekooni, ßea beetle, weed biological control, host speciÞcity, Ligustrum sinense

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Citation

Zhang, Yan Zhuo; Hanula, James; Sun, Jiang Hua  2008.  

Host Specificity of Argopistes tsekooni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a Potential Biological Control Agent of Chinese Privet

.   J. Econ. Ent. 101(4): 1148-1151 .