• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2012

Typha angustifolia has ecological characteristics of clonal growth similar to Phragmites australis. The plant spreads byclonal growth and seed dispersal. In this study, for the three stands which have different settlement age at the Baksilji wetland in Korea, genetic diversity was estimated by random amplification of polymorphic DNA analysis to evaluate the change in genetic diversity of T. angustifolia during stand development in the same population. Stand (ST) 1 was the oldest and ST 4 was the youngest. ST 5 was in a small ditch out of the Baksilji. Although the ST 1, ST 2, and ST 3 did not differ significantly in vegetational or physical environment, the genetic diversity estimated according to Nei's gene diversity (h) and the Shannon index (i) increased in the order of ST 1 < ST 2 < ST 3 contrary to formative age. The genetic diversity of ST 4 was much higher than that of the other three stands. ST 4 has similar abiotic environmental conditions with slight T. angustifolia dominance, and seems to be in the early establishment stage. ST 5 differed from the other stands in vegetational and soil environments, which can result in stressful cattail conditions. Even though the ST 5 stand was not younger than the ST 4 stand, ST 5 showed the highest genetic diversity. Our results indicate that after early settlement of the T. angustifolia population, genetic diversity within the species decreased over time and that the decreasing pattern of genetic diversity within T. angustifolia stands is not likely to occur under stressful conditions.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2009

The invasive pest Brontispa longissima(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), native to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, has extended its distribution to Australia, Asia and Pacific islands and caused serious leaf damages of the coconut palm Cocos nuciferain the invaded regions. Although biological control using parasitic wasps has successfully reduced population density and leaf damage levels, this pest and its natural enemies have not been efficiently producedin conventional methods using young leaves of C. nucifera. In the present study, we examined suitability of plants easily available in Thailand and Japan for mass rearing of this pest to develop effective mass rearing system of this pest. Mature, green leaves of the palms were also suitable for immature development and adult reproduction of this pest. Since mature leaves of C. nucifera are more abundant and less contaminated with fungus than the unopened leaf buds, mature leaves could be a promising plant diet for mass rearing of B. longissima. Ornamental palms such as Hyophorbe lagenicaulis and Washingtonia filifera were also suitable for immature development and reproduction of B. longissima. Away from palms, the cattail Typha spp. can sustain immature development and adult reproduction of B. longissima. In the area where C. nucifera is rare or not available, W. filifera or Typha spp. would be good food plants for mass rearing of this pest.