Host-Specificity and Biology of Cecidochares connexa (Macquart) (Diptera:Tephritidae) Introduced into India for the Biological Suppression of Chromolaena odorata (Linnaeus) King&Robinson

Abstract

Chromolaena odorata (Linnaeus) King and Robinson is a native or tropical America and has become a serious invasive weed in the wet/dry tropics of Western India. Cecidochares connexa (Macquart) (Diptera:Tephritidae) was introduced from Indonesia into India in 2002 for the biological suppression or the weed. A pure culture of the tephritid was established on C. odorata and the biology studied. Eggs were laid inside unopened new leaf buds. The egg incubation period was 5.65±0.67 days. The gall was visible 15 days after oviposition and in 43.95±4.7 days, formation of windows could be seen indicating complete larval development. One to eight larvae were found in each gall. The total developmental period from egg to adult was 64.85±5.12 days. The adults emerged through the windows and peak emergence (70.4%) was at 1000 hours. Adults were active from 0800 to 1400 hours and mated on the day of emergence. Each female on an average laid 81.12±34.03 eggs and the oviposition period varied from 7 to 12 days. Host'specificity tests carried out under quarantine conditions on 7S host plant species belonging to 29 families revealed that the gall fly is capable of feeding and reproducing only on C. odorata