Journal of Plant Ecology【🎉Latest accepted article】
#SoilMicrobes mediate the effects of #ParasiticLitter input on #PlantInvasion
ABC Feeds'Crisis' on the land as tens of thousands of rabbits are culled
By Rachel Holdsworth
Farmers say they are killing thousands of wild rabbits on their properties, but the problem is getting worse and they are seeking help.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-15/rabbit-crisis-nsw-riverina-invasive-species/106390526
【🎉Latest accepted article】
Soil microbes from herbivory-damaged native congener impair invasive plant tolerance to biocontrol
#PlantInvasion | #BiologicalControl | #CompensatoryGrowth | #SoilLegacyEffect | #AlternantheraPhiloxeroides
Jon SullivanLook! Cinnabar moth!
Last summer I was surprised to find cinnabar moth caterpillars feeding on the native pahokoraka, Senecio quadridentatus, in the middle of Christchurch city, NZ. Cinnabar moths were released to control the European pasture weed ragwort back in the 1940s.
I collected four caterpillars and fed them on pahokoraka leaves until they pupated on 16 January. I put them on some scrunched up newsprint in a plastic container and put that outside in a shaded area of our garden. Today, three adult moths emerged.
They're day-flying moths which retain the poisons of their host plants and advertise that to would-be predators with their bright colours,
NIOO-KNAWNew publication: Microbial interactions influence the chemical defense of wild and cultivated #tomato species. #biologicalcontrol #domestication
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-025-01598-y
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-025-01598-y
Microbial Interactions Influence the Chemical Defense of Wild and Cultivated Tomato Species - Journal of Chemical Ecology
Tomato, a globally significant crop, faces continuous threats from pests and pathogens, necessitating alternative approaches to reduce chemical inputs. Beneficial soil microbes, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), offer promising solutions by enhancing plant growth and pest tolerance. However, domestication may have weakened tomatoes’ interactions with these microbes, potentially compromising their innate immunity, a hypothesis that remains largely unexplored. To address this gap, we examined the effects of AMF and PGPR inoculation on growth, herbivory resistance, and metabolic responses in the domesticated Solanum lycopersicum ‘Moneymaker’ and three wild tomato relatives. Our findings reveal that microbial inoculation significantly influences both domesticated and wild tomatoes, with PGPR generally enhancing and AMF reducing plant growth across species. Using targeted and untargeted metabolomics, we found that soil microbes substantially alter plant chemistry above- and belowground in a species-specific manner. Notably, herbivore responses were more affected by AMF presence than by tomato species. These results highlight that while domestication has profoundly shaped tomato traits, microbial interactions can modulate these phenotypes. Thus, selecting microbial strains best suited to modern cultivars is crucial for optimizing plant growth and resilience against pests.
Sarah ArnoldPaper out in British Journal of Entomology and Natural History soon. Arnold, S.E.J., Fountain, M.T., Silva, C.X., & Wamonje, F. O. The introduced parasitoid Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is widespread in fruit-growing regions of England. BJENH, 37. [14/14]
#BiologicalControl #IntroducedSpecies #ParasitoidWasp #Biocontrol #EcosystemServices #Horticulture #AgriculturalEntomology #Entomology
Ultimately, what does this mean for UK biocontrol? It may mean that we will see a smaller species richness of aphid parasitoids active on some farms, which may or may not affect our ability to control aphids. We'll have to see what happens. [12/]
The-14DNA analysis reveals that there are more species of parasitoid wasps than anticipated
#Science #Environment #Insects #Wasps #DNA #Alien #DNAAnalysis #HiddenBiodiversity #ParasitoidWasps #SpeciesDiscovery #BiologicalControl
https://the-14.com/dna-analysis-reveals-that-there-are-more-species-of-parasitoid-wasps-than-anticipated/
#Science #Environment #Insects #Wasps #DNA #Alien #DNAAnalysis #HiddenBiodiversity #ParasitoidWasps #SpeciesDiscovery #BiologicalControl
https://the-14.com/dna-analysis-reveals-that-there-are-more-species-of-parasitoid-wasps-than-anticipated/
Great Lakes Now (Unofficial)New strategy for limiting the spread of exotic water plants in Michigan.#biologicalcontrol #invasivespecies #michigan #research
Control for Frog-bit and Water Soldiers | Great Lakes Now
Control for Frog-bit and Water Soldiers | Great Lakes Now
Pestinfo#Invasive alien plants have significant negative impacts on #agriculture and #ecosystems. Assessment of the main environmental #weeds which should be targeted in Europe for classical #BiologicalControl - article in Weed Research (2023, vol. 63, issue 4, pp. 218-231) by Vincent Lesieur and others - https://doi.org/10.1111/wre.12582