Thesis Title

Factors that determine the biological control success achieved by Hypogeococcus festerianus Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on an invasive cactus in South Africa

 Supervisor: Dr Iain Paterson (Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网)

Co-supervisor: Mrs Hildegard Klein (ARC-PPRI Pretoria)

General Summary

Guy completed his honours degree at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 in 2015. He is currently conducting an investigation into the factors that may limit the efficacy of Hypogeococcus festerianus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), a biological control agent for the invasive cactus Cereus jamacaru (Cactaceae) in South Africa. A post-release evaluation of this biological control program is currently being undertaken, as the status of the weed and the regulatory impact of the biological control agent is unknown. Several factors that have previously impeded biological control of invasive cacti in South Africa are being investigated in their influence on the efficacy of the control agent, including: climatic unsuitability (climate modelling), plant-insect incompatibility (molecular alpha taxonomy), biological control agent suitability (herbivore bioassays) and top-down regulation by predators and parasitoids. An understanding of these factors will allow practitioners to tailor and improve the biological control program against C. jamacaru.

Recent publications

Sutton, G.F., Compton, S.G. & Coetzee, J.A. 2016. Dirty delphacids do more damage: surface sterilised Megamelus scutellaris (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) reduce growth and proliferation of water hyacinth under high nutrient levels.  Manuscript submitted for publication.

Sutton, G.F. & Paterson, I.D. 2016. Mother knows best: female Paradibolia coerulea Bryant (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) shows a stronger attraction to their host plants than males. Manuscript in preparation.

Last Modified: Tue, 12 Apr 2016 15:11:47 SAST