Population genetic structure of the codling moth in the southern cone of south america: implications for area wide management programs

CICHÓN LILIANA BEATRIZ; SOLEÑO, JIMENA; BASOALTO, ESTEBAN; MONTAGNA CRISTINA M; FRANCK, PIERRE; GUIÑAZÚ, N; GARRIDO SILVINA; ANGUIANO OLGA LILIANA; RODRIGUEZ, M.A.; FUENTES CONTRERAS, EDUARDO

Viena

Congreso; "Integrated Plant Protection in Fruit Crops" Sub Groups "Pome fruit arthropods" and "Stone fruits"; 2014

Internationl Organisation for Biological and Integrated Control

The codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), is an invasive pest of pome fruits introduced tothe Americas during the 19th century. In the southern cone of South America this pest iswidespread at both sides of the Andes range separating Argentina and Chile, where thelargest area of pome fruit production of the southern hemisphere is located. We performedan analysis of the population genetic variability and structure of C. pomonella in Argentinaand Chile using microsatellite markers. We sampled C. pomonella from apple as the mainhost-plant along its distribution area (approx. 1,800 km) in both countries. Significantgenetic differentiation among samples from Argentine and Chile (FSC = 0.045), andbetween all localities (FST = 0.085) was found. Significant isolation by distance (IBD) wasfound for each country and also when samples from both sides of the Andes range werepooled, although with a lower correlation coefficient. By using a Bayesian assignment test(Structure) we found different populations in the Chilean and Argentinian sides of theAndes, which suggest independent invasion events and subsequent genetic isolationbetween countries. In summary, our results indicate a high genetic exchange of C.pomonella within countries, but with significant genetic differentiation between countries.Our results could be explained by C. pomonella dispersal mediated by human activitiesrelated to fruit production in each country with little exchange between them, because theAndes range is a significant barrier for dispersal by flight and quarantine barriers preventthe movement of plant material or infested fruit between countries.