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About
UOG Explores Possible Bio-control for Guam's Rhino Beetles
UOG Explores Possible Bio-control for Guam's Rhino Beetles
UOG Explores Possible Bio-control for Guam's Rhino Beetles
1/5/2018
UOG Explores Possible Bio-control for Guam's Rhino Beetles
The University of Guam Cooperative Extension Service Agriculture and Natural Resources
unit has been working with visiting insect pathologist from New Zealand, Dr. Sean
Marshall to test bio-control measures for the coconut rhinoceros beetles (CRB) that
have been plaguing Guam for over six years. Marshall brought with him several strains
of the highly specific Orcytes virus that have been successfully used in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Palau and other Pacific
islands for CRB control.
"A strain of this virus was previously disseminated to Guam's rhino beetle populations
in 2010, but results were surprisingly disappointing," said University of Guam entomologist
Dr. Aubrey Moore. "We are working to find out what went wrong with our first attempt
and find a strain of the virus that will work here."
Marshall was on Guam in January and is still analyzing data from these experiments
as well as conducting on-going bioassays to match the most effective virus strain
to Guam's rhino beetles. He is feeling more optimistic on this visit. He has been
dissecting dead beetles that were exposed to the virus and the post mortem indicates
the virus killed them.
As a scientist with AgResearch Limited in New Zealand, Marshall cultivates the Orcytes virus in his laboratory. "While trying to understand why the first attempts to use
this virus did not go well on Guam (but have worked on other island CRB populations),
I decided to do a comparative DNA analysis of CRB and discovered the Guam population
was different from beetles found in Samoa, Fiji, Papau New Guinea, Diego Garcia, and
Malaysia," said Marshall.
He is continuing to collect and analyze DNA samples of beetles from Philippines and
Palau hoping to understand where the rhino beetles on Guam originated. "It is very
interesting to note that Marshall's DNA studies have also shown that the CRB recently
found in Hawaii appear to be genetically identical to Guam's beetles," said Moore.
Marshall has recently had his applications approved by the New Zealand government
to bring live CRB into his lab in order to continue his experiments to test bio-control
isolates with pest genotypes and assist University of Guam scientists in their efforts
to save Guam's palm trees.
"We hope to secure funding to keep this important work ongoing and contain the rhino
beetle populations on Guam and keep them from spreading any further into the region,"
says Moore.
For more information contact:
Aubrey Moore
Cooperative Extension Service
University of Guam
Tel: (671) 735-2086
