McClay: Biological Control of False Cleavers with a Gall Mite

Date: March 2005
Term: 2 years
Status: Completed
Researcher(s): Dr. A. McClay, Alberta Research Council
SaskCanola Investment: $18,000
Total Project Cost: n/a
Funding Partners: n/a

Project Summary

False cleavers, Galium spurium, is a major and increasing weed of canola and other crops in Alberta. Based on previous research in France, the European gall mite, Cecidophyes rouhollahi, was selected for field studies in Alberta to evaluate its potential as biological control of false cleavers. The results showed that a vigorous colony of the gall mite C. rouhollahi can be maintained under greenhouse conditions in Alberta, and that the mites will readily colonize false cleavers plants under field conditions. Provided application methods can be developed that more evenly distribute the mites over a stand at an early growth stage, C. rouhollahi appears to have potential for control of false cleavers in canola and other annual crops in Alberta.

False cleavers, Galium spurium, is a major and increasing weed of canola and other crops in Alberta. Heavy infestations cause yield losses by competing with canola. False cleavers seed cannot be separated easily from canola seed, leading to contamination and downgrading of the crop. False cleavers contamination of canola seed also results in new infestations. G. spurium is listed as noxious under the Alberta Weed Control Act and the closely related G. aparine is listed as noxious in all the Prairie Provinces. In 1996 the first case of herbicide resistance in G. spurium was discovered in Alberta, involving multiple resistance to chemicals in different groups. The need for alternative management tools for false cleavers is therefore likely to become more urgent.

A previously undescribed gall mite, Cecidophyes rouhollahi, was discovered in Europe that causes severe damage to cleavers (Galium aparine) and false cleavers. In a previous study funded by CARP and AARI, the biology and host specificity of the gall mite were studied by Dr. R. Sobhian at the USDA‐ARS European Biological Control Laboratory in Montpellier, France. Results showed that the mite is highly host‐specific to a few closely related annual species of Galium, which are all weeds in North America, and does not attack any of the native North American perennial Galium species. The mite breeds rapidly and causes severe stunting, distortion, and yellowing of false cleavers. In greenhouse studies in France, attacked plants suffered 40% mortality, with surviving plants showing a 60% biomass reduction and a complete suppression of seed production.

The objectives of this three‐year study were to establish a culture of the European gall mite Cecidophyes rouhollahi for field studies in Alberta, and to estimate the rates of development, increase and dispersal of the mite on false cleavers under field conditions in Alberta. The study also evaluated the impact of the mite on growth of false cleavers when applied at different growth stages of the weed. And finally, the study assessed the mite's ability to survive over winter in the field in Alberta under various cultural conditions. Additional laboratory studies were conducted to provide information on the mites’ rate of reproduction and development under favorable conditions in the laboratory, and survival under low temperatures.

Cecidophyes Galls Close‐up

Source: A. McClay

After importing the C. rouhollahi gall mite into Alberta from southern France, a breeding colony was set up for evaluation of its potential as a biological control agent for false cleavers. Field plots were set up in 2003 and 2004 to evaluate the mite’s rate of development, increase and dispersal under field conditions in Alberta, to evaluate its impact on the growth and seed production of false cleavers when applied at different growth stages of the weed, and to assess its ability to survive over winter in the field in Alberta under various cultural conditions. The mite successfully colonized false cleavers plants growing in plots both with and without canola.

In 2004, false cleavers plants inoculated with mites at the 2 leaf‐whorl stage experienced a 31.2% reduction in aboveground biomass and a 33% reduction in seed production compared with un‐infested plants. Early inoculation of mites (at the 2 leaf‐ whorl stage) resulted in heavier galling and greater reductions in biomass than inoculation at the 6 leaf‐whorl stage. Although some apparent wind‐borne dispersal of mites was observed in the field, mite populations usually remained very localized and patchy, even within plots. Individual false cleavers stems were often heavily galled while adjacent stems remained un‐colonized.

Overwinter survival of mites in the field has not yet been confirmed. Successful implementation of this mite as a biological control agent for false cleavers will depend on the development of application methods to provide more uniform coverage, resulting in more complete and extensive galling.

This study has shown that a vigorous colony of the gall mite C. rouhollahi can be maintained under greenhouse conditions in Alberta, and that the mites will readily colonize false cleavers plants under field conditions. Early application of mites can lead to significant reductions in false cleavers seed production and biomass. The impact of the mite can probably be enhanced by developing application methods that distribute it evenly over a stand of false cleavers at an early growth stage, so that the whole stand becomes uniformly infested. Provided that such methods can be developed, this mite appears to have potential for control of this important weed in canola and other annual crops in Alberta.

Scientific Publications

Sobhian, R., A. McClay, S. Hasan, M. Peterschmitt, and R.B. Hughes. 2004. Safety assessment and potential of Cecidophyes rouhollahi (Acari, Eriophyidae) for biological control of Galium spurium (Rubiaceae) in North America. Journal of Applied Entomology 128: 258‐266.

Full Report PDF: Biological Control of False Cleavers with a Gall Mite