Evolutionary biology as a tool towards a more customized biological control strategy of weeds: Lepidium draba as a case study

2004

Lepidium draba (Brassicaceae), native to Eurasia, is one of the most invasive noxious weeds in North American rangelands and croplands. As part of the management plan for its control, one of its natural enemies, the collar gall weevil Ceutorhynchus assimilis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has been targeted and its genetic structure in the mitochondrial COI gene explored. Results clearly gave evidence of different genetic entities within this recognized species, one being restricted to the host L. draba and distributed in Southern France, Northern Spain and Italy. Furthermore, these results were supported by host plant spectrum studies in laboratory that showed specific and generalist populatio…