Mohsen Ramadan - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Mohsen Ramadan

Eurytoma erythrinae Gates & Delvare (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae), is an important biological contro... more Eurytoma erythrinae Gates & Delvare (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae), is an important biological control agent of the erythrina gall wasp (EGW), Quadrastichus erythrinae Kim (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), an invasive species native likely originating in eastern Africa, that is a threat to Erythrina trees in Hawaii and worldwide. Thousands of Erythrina trees in Hawaii succumbed to EGW since 2005 and died within few years of infestation. The endemic wiliwili tree, Erythrina sandwicensis, an important component of Hawaii’s dry forests, and one of few deciduous native trees were severely impacted by this wasp. Early during the invasion by EGW it became evident that the endemic species may be driven to extinction, and exploration programs for natural enemies of the EGW started in December 2005. East Africa was selected as the start point for natural enemy exploration owing to high native Erythina species richness. Several gall formers were found in Tanzania and a putative color variant type of Q. ...

The skunkvine, Paederia foetida L., also known as Maile pilau in Hawaii, is an invasive weed that... more The skunkvine, Paederia foetida L., also known as Maile pilau in Hawaii, is an invasive weed that smothers shrubs, trees, and native flora in dry to wet forests. It disrupts perennial crops and takes over landscaping in moist to wet areas on four Hawaiian Islands. Skunk-vine is considered a noxious weed in southern United States (Alabama and Florida) and also an aggressive weed in Brazil, New Guinea, Christmas and Mauritius Islands. Chemical control is difficult without non-target damage as the vine mixes up with desirable plants. Biological control is thought to be the most suitable option for long term management of the weed in Hawaii and Florida. Skunk-vine and most species of genus Paederia are native to tropical and subtropical Asia, from as far as India to Japan and Southeast Asia. There are no native plants in the tribe Paederieae in Hawaii and Florida and the potential for biological control looks promising. A recent survey in October-December 2010, after the rainy season in Thailand and Laos, confirmed the presence of several insect herbivores associated with P. foetida and three other Paederia species. A leaftying moth (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), two hawk moths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), a herbivorous rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), a chrysomelid leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a sharpshooter leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), and a leaf-sucking lace bug (Hemiptera: Tingidae) were the most damaging to the vine during the survey period. The beetles are being investigated at the HDOA Insect Containment Facility as potential candidates for biological control of Maile pilau in Hawaii. Initial findings on host specificity, biology, and their potential for suppressing this weed are discussed.

This paper provides simple demographic models for 6 species of fruit fly parasitoids and their fr... more This paper provides simple demographic models for 6 species of fruit fly parasitoids and their fruit fly hosts, ie Fopius arisanus [Biosteres arisanus], Diachasmimorpha longicaudata [Biosteres longicaudatus], Biosteres vandenboschi and Psyttalia incisi (all reared on Bactrocera dorsalis ...

Limited investigations on parasitoids of the melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), infes... more Limited investigations on parasitoids of the melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), infesting five species of Cucurbitaceae and seven species of Solanaceae were conducted in Thailand to determine natural occurrence of biological control agents. Fruit samples were collected during January-February 1996, and tephritid puparia were imported into the State of Hawaii Quarantine Facility for fly and parasitoid emergence. Cucumis sativus L., Luffa acutangula (L.), and Momordica charantia L. were commonly infested by B. cucurbitae. Bactrocera tau (Walker) was dominant only in L. acutangula. Infestation of ripe, cultivated fruit of M. charantia was 72.3 B. cucurbitae/ kg fruit and parasitoids were predominantly Psyttalia fletcheri (Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with parasitization rates up to 12.4%. Bactrocera cucurbitae infesting M. charantia in northern Thailand yielded an unidentified Aceratoneuromyia species, (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Unlike other eulophids that attack B. cucurbitae, which require the presence of P. fletcheri in the same puparium to suppress host immunity, this parasitoid was able to develop alone. Average fecundity was 135 offspring/ female and mean parasitoids /host puparium was 21.1. It was also developed in the laboratory on the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), with an average life span of 23 d in both host species. Six species of solanaceous fruit were mainly infested by Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel), with infestation rates ranging from 4 to 17 flies/kg fruit. Psyttalia fletcheri and unidentified opiine, Bitomus species, eclosed from B. latifrons infested bird chili, Capsicum frustescens L. Only Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. produced B. cucurbitae, lightly parasitized by P. fletcheri.

Macadamia Felted Coccid (MFC), Acanthococcus ironsidei (Williams) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) was f... more Macadamia Felted Coccid (MFC), Acanthococcus ironsidei (Williams) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) was first discovered in 2005 on the Island of Hawaii. Host plants are restricted to Macadamia species, with Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche (Proteaceae) being grown in Hawaii for nut production. Approximately 16,900 acres of macadamia nuts are harvested in Hawaii with estimated farm value of $ 48.8 million (2019 - 2020 records). MFC has become a problem in macadamia orchards where heavy infestations cause the death of young seedlings, reduction in nut production, and severe damage can eventually kill affected trees. Chemical control and extant natural enemies have not suppressed the population of MFC to a manageable level. Exploration in Australia started in November 2013 for the evaluation of potential parasitoids being host specific for introduction into Hawaii. A dominant solitary endoparasitoid of MFC from New South Wales was discovered and described as Metaphycus macadamiae Polasz...

Insects

Whitefly species of Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintance) and A. woglumi Ashby (Hemiptera: Aleyro... more Whitefly species of Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintance) and A. woglumi Ashby (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are serious pests of citrus and other important fruit crops. The problem of citrus has initiated the successful introduction of several natural enemies for biocontrol programs in Hawaii and many other countries. Here, we summarized the history of infestation and biocontrol efforts of the two whiteflies in Hawaii for possible parasitoid importation into Greece. Two Platygasteridae (Amitus hesperidum Silvestri, A. spiniferus (Brethes), and three Aphelinidae (Encarsia clypealis (Silvestri), E. smithi (Silvestri), E. perplexa Huang, and Polaszek) were released in Hawaii for biocontrol of the citrus whiteflies during the period 1974–1999. The aphelinid Cales noacki Howard, purposely released for Aleurothrixus flococcus (Maskell) in 1982, was also reported to attack other whiteflies, including Aleurocanthus species, on citrus. An additional aphelinid parasitoid, Encarsia nipponica Silve...

CRC Press eBooks, Aug 31, 2021

Biological Control, Oct 1, 2023

Biological Control, Mar 1, 1992

The egg-larval parasitoid Biosteres arisanus (Sonan) is a candidate for classical and augmentativ... more The egg-larval parasitoid Biosteres arisanus (Sonan) is a candidate for classical and augmentative biological control programs directed against seven tephritid pest species in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Aspects of its reproductive behavior were examined in the laboratory to facilitate its mass production. Mean longevity (+SEM) of host-deprived and ovipositing females was 15.3 + 0.2 and 18.6 + 0.2 days, respectively, when reared in groups of 200 PP. However, when reared individually, ovipositing females lived for 2 1.4 + 2.1 days. Ovarian maturation peaked at an average of 121.1 t-5.5 mature eggs per female on the sixth posteclosion day and declined thereafter as the females aged. Mean number of eggs deposited per day was 16.5 f 1.3 and mean fecundity was 88.4 f 11.3 eggs per female. Mean potential fecundity (eggs deposited and eggs remaining in ovaries at death) was 133.4 + 12.8 eggs. When host clutch size increased, B. arisanus female increased its oviposition activity per day. However, percentage parasitism of host eggs remained 50% and, as a result, superparasitism was minimized to ~1%. No oviposition preference was detected when Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) eggs were presented to B. a&anus females. Size of cage provided for mating and light intensity each had a significant influence on the number of inseminated B. a&anus females. With an exposure period of 6 diurnal h, mean percentage of inseminated females was 77.4 t 4.3 and 3.0 * 3.0% when mating occurred in 8.3-and 0.02-m' outdoor screened cages, respectively. Progeny of B. arisanus was exclusively males when females mated indoors. Increasing the number of inseminated females in the rearing cages signifi

Journal of Chemical Ecology, 1991

Laboratory-reared and wild adults of the melon fly,Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, were tested for r... more Laboratory-reared and wild adults of the melon fly,Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, were tested for response to cue-lure at various ages. Virgin laboratory (4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 days old) and wild (10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 days old) flies were released into outdoor field cages and trapped from 0800 until 1600 hr. Response of males to cue-lure increased with age and corresponded with sexual maturity for each strain. Females of both strains were relatively nonresponsive to cue-lure. Failure to eradicate in past male annihilation programs againstD. cucurbitae may be explained in part by the fact that only older males, which may have already mated with gravid females, respond to cue-lure.

Veterinary Sciences

This is the first account of fatal toxicity in horses resulting from grazing on the pasture plant... more This is the first account of fatal toxicity in horses resulting from grazing on the pasture plant creeping indigo, Indigofera spicata, on the island of Oahu, in the Hawaiian Islands. A survey in the town of Waialua on the north shore of Oahu island indicated that creeping indigo is common and abundant on grazing lands during the rainy season and requires intensive chemical and physical control measures. Four pastures were surveyed where ranchers reported mortality of more than 17 horses since 2020. We document these incidents to alert state animal and livestock support officials, groups monitoring invasive species, and horse owners regarding the problem of this noxious weed and to support breeders with information to confront its invasiveness. Herbicide treatment is not economically feasible, and breeders opted to physically uproot the plants from the paddocks and restrain horses to clear pastures as they were eliminating the plants. We urge state officials for a long-term control s...

Journal of Economic Entomology, 1987

... Proc. Hawaii Entomol. Soc. 14: 29-33. 1961. Fruit fly parasites and their activities in Ha-wa... more ... Proc. Hawaii Entomol. Soc. 14: 29-33. 1961. Fruit fly parasites and their activities in Ha-waii. Proc. Hawaii Entomol. Soc. 17: 367-378. van den Bosch, R., HA Bess & FH Haramoto. 1951. Status of oriental fruit fly parasites in Hawaii. J. Econ. Entomol. 44: 753-759. ...

Environmental Entomology, 1994

... The emergence of this parasitoid from field collected fruits with mixed infestation by B. dor... more ... The emergence of this parasitoid from field collected fruits with mixed infestation by B. dorsalis and C. capitata may have led to a misinterpretation of recovery data. ... June 1989), windfallen peaches were collected (20-200 fruits per collection). ...

The results of this study contribute to the development of mass rearing procedures for Moslem liy... more The results of this study contribute to the development of mass rearing procedures for Moslem liyoni (Cameron) by providing a method for producing adequate numbers for releases, and by determining the potential for the use of this species in suppression programs against the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis cajiitata (Wiedemann).