Puccinia araujiae, a promising classical biocontrol agent for moth plant in New Zealand: Biology, host range and hyperparasitism by Cladosporium uredinicola

FREDA E. ANDERSON; SILVINA P. SANTOS LÓPEZ; ROMINA M. SÁNCHEZ; CINTIA G. REINOSO FUENTEALBA; JANE BARTON

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Año: 2016

1049-9644

The rust fungus Puccinia araujiae is proposed as a biological control agent for moth plant (Araujiahortorum) in New Zealand. This pathogen completes its life cycle on this host, it has the capacity ofdamaging it by producing premature foliage senescence and defoliation, and, it is only known frommembers of the Oxypetalinae (Apocynaceae). P. araujiae was found to be heavily hyperparasitised bythe fungus Cladosporium uredinicola in the field in Argentina. The mode of action of this hyperparasitewas investigated and efforts are currently being made to completely eliminate it from a culture of the rustthrough a combination of superficial disinfection and multiple sequential inoculations. A protocol wasdeveloped for long term storage of teliospores of the rust at very low temperatures. Stored spores wereshown to maintain their ability to germinate and produce infective basidiospores for up to 12 months.The possible effect of the hyperparasite on the performance of the rust as a biological control agent,should it be introduced into New Zealand, is discussed.