Miconia calvescens as a biocontrol target in Hawaii
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Biocontrol agent: Coccodiella miconiae
Status in Hawaii: The fungal pathogen Coccodiella miconiae, a potential biological control agent for Miconia calvescens (miconia), was established on miconia in the Hawaii Department of Agriculture quarantine greenhouse in 2007. This obligate parasite was hand-carried from Costa Rica in 2006 after numerous failed attempts to culture the fungus in Hawaii. It causes pimpling of miconia leaves, significantly reducing the foliar photosynthetic process. This fungus is effective in drier climates and may be a good biocontrol agent in areas where other control agents would not be effective, but it has been difficult to transfer from plant to plant. Research into the susceptibility of the miconia biotype in Hawaii, the conditions for infection and disease development, and the life cycle of the fungus are underway in Brazil (2002). In Brazil, five hyperparasitic fungi have been collected from the pimples. REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Cocostroma myconae Status in Hawaii: Cocostroma myconae, a leaf spot fungal pathogen of Miconia calvescens, was collected in 1993 in Costa Rica and sent to Hawaii. It could not be cultured in quarantine. REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Status in Hawaii: (no status currently available; inquire) REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. miconiae Status in Hawaii: The fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. miconiae from Brazil causes leaf spots on Miconia calvescens (miconia) resulting in leaf yellowing and premature defoliation. In laboratory conditions the fungal pathogen attacked germinating miconia seeds and newly emergent seedlings. Host range testing, concluded in November 1996, showed that this fungus was restricted in pathogenicity to the genus Miconia. Based on the host specificity tests, the fungus was subsequently described as f. sp. miconiae of Colletotrichum gloeosponoides. USDA APHIS PPQ approved the release of the pathogen in 1997, and it was released on the Big Island and on Maui that year. Attempts to establish the disease on Maui have failed (2002). The fungus requires rain and wind for spore dissemination and drought conditions may have limited its spread. In 2006, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. miconiae continued to be active in the wet Onomea area of East Hawaii and may be keeping miconia plants from becoming the dominant vegetation in that locality. REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Colletotrichum sp. Status in Hawaii: (no status currently available; inquire) REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Ditylenchus drepanocercus Status in Hawaii: (no status currently available; inquire) REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Ditylenchus gallaeformis Status in Hawaii: Ditylenchus gallaeformis, a nematode, causes severe leaf distortion and galling on Miconia calvescens. It was sent to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture in 2006 and a colony was established. Host range testing is underway (2007). The organism caused incipient galls on Clidemia hirta (Koster's curse) but did not affect the native Metrosideros polymorpha (ohia). REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Euselasia bettina Status in Hawaii: The lepidopteran Euselasia bettina is under consideration for use as a biological control agent against Miconia calvescens (2002). REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Euselasia chrysippe Status in Hawaii: The lepidopteran Euselasia chrysippe is under consideration for use as a biological control agent against Miconia calvescens (2000). REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Guignardia sp. Status in Hawaii: (no status currently available; inquire) REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Haplaphalara sp. Status in Hawaii: (no status currently available; inquire) REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Kuronomyces sp. Status in Hawaii: (no status currently available; inquire) REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Margardisa sp. Status in Hawaii: (no status currently available; inquire) REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Pseudocercospora sp. Status in Hawaii: (no status currently available; inquire) REFERENCES |
Biocontrol agent: Pseudocercospora tamonae Status in Hawaii: The leaf spot disease Pseudocercospora tamonae causes extensive damage on Miconia calvescens. It also attacks seedlings of some myrtaceous species and will need extensive evaluation before consideration for release (2002). REFERENCES |
| The Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) project is currently funded by the Pacific Basin Information Node (PBIN) of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) through PIERC (USGS) with support from HCSU (UH Hilo). More details are available online. |
 
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| This page was created on 04 August 2009 by PT, and was last updated on 15 December 2009 by PT. |
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