Life histories and host specificities of theEchium flea beetlesLongitarsus echii andL. Aeneus [Col. Chrysomelidae]
Two halticine flea beetles,Longitarsus echiiKoch andLongitarsus aeneusKutsch, occurring on the boraginaceous plantEchium plantagineum L. in the western Mediterranean region are potential biological control agents in Australia where the plant has become a weed (Paterson's curse). The adults of both species feed by making “shot holes” in the leaves. The larvae of both species attack the roots ofEchium, those ofL. echii feeding more centrally in the root than those ofL. aeneus which attack the outer cortex and rootlets. Both species are univoltine. The host restrictions of both flea beetles as adults and as larvae were tested using the criteria already established for theEchium leaf minerDialectica scalariellaZeller (Wapshere & Kirk, 1977). This testing established that it would be safe to introduce the 2 insects into Australia for the biological control ofE. plantagineum and they are now under quarantine.RésuméDeux altises,Longitarsus echiiKoch etLongitarsus aeneusKutsch, vivant surEchium plantagineum L. dans l'ouest de la région méditerranéenne, sont des agents de contrôles biologiques potentiels de cette adventice en Australie. Les adultes des 2 espèces creusent des trous dans les feuilles et leurs larves attaquent les racines de la plante. Les larves deL. echii se nourrissent plus de la partie centrale de la racine, alors que celles deL. aeneus préfèrent le cortex extérieur et les radicelles. Les 2 espèces ont une génération par an. La spécificité d'hôte des 2 espèces, tant adultes que larves, a été étudiée selon les critères déjà établis pourDialectica scalariellaZeller (Wapshere & Kirk, 1977). Ces essais ont confirmé que l'introduction des 2 insectes en Australie pour la lutte biologique contreEchium plantagineum serait sans danger, et cette introduction a eu lieu récemment.
Longitarsus jacobaeae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a flea beetle for the biological control of tansy ragwort 1. Host plant specificity studies.
Adult Longitarsus jacobaeae (Waterhouse) a European flea beetle that is recorded from only tansy ragwort, Senecio jacobaca L. fed on plant foliage; the larvae fed on the root crowns throughout the winter and spring. A strain with nondiapausing adults was reared from S. jacobaca from western Switzerland, and a strain with an adult facultative estival diapause was reared from S. erraticus Bert, in the field and from S. aquaticus Huds. in the laboratory (both new host plant records) at Rome, Italy, and the host plant specificity of the adults and larvae was determined. The adults fed from 54 to 96% as much on S. serra Hook., S. triangularis Hook., S. adonidifolius Lois., S. paludosus L., S. cruentus DC, Cacalia suaveolens L., and Erechtites arguta DC. as on S. jacobaca , but the females laid no more than 60% as many eggs on these species as on S. jacobaca , and some had either a shorter lifespan or a greatly lengthened period of preoviposition. The larvae proved to have a narrow host spectrum. When potted plants were used, adults were obtained only from Emilia coccinea (Sims) Sweet ex G. Don, an annual, and from S. aquaticus Huds., S. erraticus , and S. jacobaca , all biennials in the species section Jacobaea, species subsection Eujacobaei. When the insects were tested with washed root crowns in small containers, adults were produced from S. vulgaris L. and S. crucifolius L., a perennial in the same species section and subsection as S. jacobaca .
The status of FAO and codex alimentarius developments on vegetable proteins
The FAO is interested in increasing world protein supplies both by advising and assisting developing countries to increase their production of staple foods and by encouraging the development of technology to produce protein concentrates both from vegetable and animal sources to supplement diets which are low in protein content. Recent revisions of the amount of protein required in the diet in relation to total per capita energy requirements and the difficulties encountered in introducing novel foods into established dietary patterns has led FAO to concentrate on increased agricultural productions in developing countries as the primary means of combatting malnutrition. In the meantime, in North America and Europe, advances in the technology of processing vegetable proteins has given highly acceptable products simulating meats which are being used as meat extenders and meat analogues. The consequent increase in vegetable protein production has revealed a need for international, agreement on standardization, and it has been agreed that this will be undertaken by the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards’ Programme. The program operates chiefly through the Codex Alimentarius, Commission, an international governmental body, the purpose of which is to protect consumers against health hazard in food and against fraud. The Commission, which has 116 member governments, controls an intensive program of work covering the composition, labeling, additives, contaminants, pesticide residues, hygiene, sampling and analysis aspects of foods and has established a procedure which allows member governments ample opportunity to reach agreement on food standards and to accept them for incorporation into national legislation. The Codex Commission, at its 12th session, decided to establish a Committee on Vegetable Proteins with the following terms of references: “to elaborate definitions and world-wide standards for vegetable protein products deriving from soybeams, cottonseed, groundnuts, cereals and from other vegetable sources as they come into use for human consumption, and to elaborate guidelines on utilization of such vegetable protein products in the food supply system, on nutritional requirements and safety on labeling and on other aspects as may seem appropriate.” The question of which country will host the Committee is still under discussion.