Genetic diversity and morphological variation in African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum) – characterising the target weed for biological control

Publication date: Available online 25 January 2020Source: Biological ControlAuthor(s): G.A. McCulloch, E.V. Mauda, L.D. Chari, G.D. Martin, K. Gurdasani, L. Morin, G.H. Walter, S. RaghuAbstractLycium ferocissimum (African boxthorn) is one of the most troublesome weeds in Australia. Biological control may have potential to manage this weed, but taxonomic uncertainty needs to be addressed first to facilitate searches for potential agents. We sampled putative L. ferocissimum (i.e. tentatively identified morphologically in the field) across its native range in South Africa and introduced range in Australia. Morphometric and genetic analyses were conducted to confirm the species identity of these samples, and to assess morphological and genetic variation across both ranges. All samples collected in Australia were confirmed as L. ferocissimum, with no evidence of hybridisation with any other Lycium species. Nuclear and chloroplast genetic diversity within L. ferocissimum across both South Africa and Australia was low, with no evidence of genetic structure. One of the two common chloroplast haplotypes found across Australia was found at only two sites in South Africa, both near Cape Town, suggesting that the Australian lineage may have originated from this region. Ten samples from South Africa putatively identified in the field as L. ferocissimum were genetically characterised as different (unidentified) Lycium species. Our morphological analyses across different Lycium species in S...
Source: Biological Control - Category: Biology Source Type: research