Impact of a disease and a defoliating insect on houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale) growth: implications for weed biological control

Summary The noxious weed houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale) has become a major problem on the forested rangelands in the interior of British Columbia. However, recently the fungus Phoma pomorum and the ranchman's tigermoth (Platyprepia virginalis) were identified as potential biocontrol agents of this biennial weed. Infection by the fungus Ph. pomorum resulted in the formation of large brown lesions on leaves of houndstongue. In culture, the fungus readily produced pycnidia with pycnidiospores measuring 5.7 μm × 1.7 μm. The effect of Ph. pomorum and P. virginalis on the growth of houndstongue was examined over a six week period. Leaf age strongly influenced the intra plant distribution of insect feeding and lesion formation with Ph. pomorum primarily attacking the older leaves, while P. virginalis larvae preferred feeding on young leaves. Infection of leaves by Ph. pomorum resulted in their premature death. The effect of infection by Ph. pomorum on plant weight varied among tests, but the disease usually increased the number or percentage of dead leaves and reduced root biomass. A study of the effect of plant age and disease on houndstongue showed that younger plants infected with Ph. pomorum had a slightly higher percentage of dead leaves than older plants, but that reductions in live leaf weight and root weight were similar for different age groups. Six weeks after exposure to feeding damage by P. virginalis, there was no significant effect of P. virginalis on plant weight either acting alone or in combination with Ph. pomorum.