TY  - JOUR
JF  - Acarologia
T1  - Intensity of Eucalyptus shade on the performance of Aceria lantanae (Cook), a biological control agent of Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) in South Africa
VL  - 66
IS  - Suppl
SP  - 125
EP  - 125
PY  - 2026
SN  - 0044-586X
SN  - 2107-7207
PB  - Les Amis d'Acarologia
AU  - Ludzula, Mukwevho
AU  - Lutendo, Mugwedi
AU  - Raynold, Moagi
UR  - https://doi.org/10.24349/yxy1-y88x
DO  - 10.24349/yxy1-y88x
DA  - 2026-07-20
ET  - 2026-07-20
KW  - Eriophyid mite
KW  - Inflorescence galling
KW  - Berry production
KW  - Common Lantana
KW  - Weed biocontrol
AB  - Due to varying performances of Aceria lantanae Cook. (Trombidiformes, Eriophyidae) in the densely invaded regions of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, the current study investigated the establishment and impact of A. lantane on the inflorescence and berry production of the common light pink (i.e., 163 LP) hybrid of Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) at the eucalyptus-shaded, semi-shaded and unshaded microhabitats. Counts of L. camara plants and shoots with galls and the intensity of galling (i.e., ungalled, partly- and fully galled) of each inflorescence were recorded. Furthermore, berries were recorded on haphazardly selected inflorescences of L. camara invading the shaded, semi-shaded and full sun habitats at Mbombela and Sabie regions. The occurrence of A. lantanae was higher (= 70%) in the semi-shaded and full sun habitats compared to the fully shaded habitat. The percentage of inflorescences galled per shoot was highest [i.e., 75 (± 9.2) and 63.4 (± 4.0)%] in the full- sun habitat and has gradually declined with the sunlight intensity at both the Mbombela and Sabie regions, respectively. Similarly, the number of berries per peduncle was significantly higher at full sun and semi-shaded compared to the fully-shaded habitat at Mbomela. Although the variation was not statistically significant, a similar pattern was observed in the Sabie region. Irrespective of the variations in seed berry production across habitats at the Mbombela and Sabie regions, a total number of less than 5 berries was recorded per peduncle across treatments. Thus, greater establishment of A. lantanae at the semi-shaded and full sun contributed to the significant decline in berry production, irrespective of the high inflorescence production at these habitats. Contrasting results showed lower inflorescence and berry production, despite lower galling rates in the fully shaded habitat. Thus, the dispersal of L. camara through seeds is neither worrisome in the fully shaded habitat where the establishment of A. lantanae is lower, nor in the semi-shaded and full-sun habitats where the mite has naturalized.
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