The effects of natural enemies on the growth of Lantana in Brazil

Abstract

Observations were made over a two-year period on the growth and natural enemies of Lantana tiliaefolia and L. glutinosa growing naturally at nine sites covering different climatic areas of Paraná State, south Brazil. Lantana was found to be subjected to continuous attack by insects and/or fungi throughout the year, with different species causing damage at different times. Temperate-climate sites had a more diverse complex of insects and a greater intensity of attack than warmer-climate sites. Shrubs in sites which suffered severe insect attack, especially during the previous season, flowered and fruited significantly less than those which had suffered only light attack. Differential weighting of the principal phytophagous insects demonstrated that feeding by insects of some groups may be more damaging than that by others. The relevance of the results to the search for biological agents for control of lantana in Australia is discussed.