News 105N

General News

Cacti, Composites and ture, they found evidence that at least 15 fruit-eating birds. Consequently, seedlings Creepers shipments of different strains of cochineal germinate mostly under trees and along insect, collectively identified as D. fences where they may remain unnoticed This issue begins with weed biocontrol opuntiae, had been introduced into Aus- for many years in tall grass and dense bush news, focusing on classical biocontrol initi- tralia. These had originated from a variety because of their trailing growth habit. Dis- atives against some invasive weeds in of Opuntia species in North America, most carded segments root readily, so new South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and of which were low-growing shrub pears infestations are also found on rubbish Indonesia, where significant progress is similar to O. stricta. The cochineal respon- dumps. being made against a number of trouble- sible for the spectacular control seen in Two insects indigenous to South America some species. Australia originated from one or more of and specific to the cactus have been these shipments. However, the material
released in recent years. One of them, Hyp- shipped onwards to South Africa for O. ogeococcus festerianus, has, since its first ficus-indica control was almost certainly of Prickly Pair introduction in 1983, been distributed central Mexican origin, and had been col- around the country by PPRI researchers as One of classical biological control's lected from a different and tree-like species, well as resource conservation inspectors Opuntia streptacantha. That strain was enduring images is of stands of prickly pear from the National Department of Agricul- cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica)inSouth selected for South Africa because of its ture (NDA). The mealybugs, which were ability to develop on O. ficus-indica speci- Africa reduced to brown and withered key to controlling the cactus in Australia, mens that had been sent to Australia for stumps by cochineal insects (Dactylopius attack mainly the young growing tissues of testing purposes. Although morphologi- opuntiae). There are now signs that two the cactus, and a toxic substance they inject cally identical, it now appears that the two more cactus species are being brought causes the growing tips to become con- under control there by introduced insects. populations represent different host- torted, fruit production to be reduced, and adapted strains or biotypes. The cochineal insect and the cactus moth gradual die-back of the stems. Results sug- (Cactoblastis cactorum)wereimported A second introduction was made from Aus- gest that all releases of the mealybug in from Australia, where they had been used tralia in 1996, but this time D. opuntiae was South Africa, at some seven locations, have in a successful campaign against Opuntia collected from O. stricta. This new colony resulted in establishment. Adult mealybugs stricta (Australian pest pear or sour prickly (the stricta biotype) was compared to the are sessile, and the young crawlers move pear), in the early twentieth century. The established colony in South Africa (the onlyslowlyandrelyonthewindfordis- moth proved far less effective in South ficus biotype), and survival and develop- persal. It has always been assumed that Africa, and this was attributed to predation ment of each on both O. stricta and O. manual redistribution of infested material of the early stages, mainly by ants and ficus-indica were monitored. Results sug- would be necessary. However, the dispersal baboons. Cochineal insect was an out- gested that each biotype survived and rate of the mealybug during 1998-99 has standing success in controlling O. ficus- developed best on its ‘own’ host, con- called this into question. Infestations have indica but, bafflingly, it barely survived on firming the existence of distinct host races spread between patches of cactus separated O. stricta in South Africa, and certainly had in D. opuntiae. Next, each of the O. ficus- by several hundreds of metres of dense veg- no impact on its control. indica cultivars grown in South Africa was etation, and this cannot be ascribed to wind exposed to the stricta biotype, and the alone. Unwitting help from birds or rodents Opuntia stricta is native to the southeastern results indicated that none of them sup- feeding on the cactus fruits is suspected. USA, and was probably brought into South ported its development. Africa by collectors of succulents. A highly In the past, the NDA have relied heavily on adaptable species, it has invaded thousands In May 1997, the stricta biotype was chemical control (MSMA) to combat the of hectares, and is particularly invasive in released as infested leafpads onto O. stricta cactus. Although active in distributing the KwaZulu-Natal, the Northern and Eastern near Pretoria and in the Kruger National mealybug, they apparently did not have Cape and the Kruger National Park. It is a Park. The results have been spectacular: enough faith in biocontrol to discontinue problem elsewhere in the region, including dense stands of cactus have collapsed, and spraying. Now, instead of insisting that Yemen and Eritrea, and is present in Ethi- surrounding plants are heavily infested. landowners treat infestations with MSMA, opia and Somalia. However, biological Despite their limited mobility, the insects they are supplying them with starter colo- control of O. stricta in these countries have spread more than 100 m in the two nies of the mealybug and showing them presents additional difficulties, because O. years since release. All indications are that how to disperse the insect manually. Chem- ficus-indica is a valued crop (albeit with the newly introduced strain will control O. ical control is still used on small isolated unfortunate invasive tendencies) and thus stricta as effectively in South Africa as in infestations, and biocontrol on large and D. opuntiae is not an appropriate candidate Australia. dense stands. for introduction. Another import by admirers of succulents, Sources: Plant Protection News Nos. 53 & The Weeds Research Division of the Plant harrisia cactus (Harrisia martinii)from 54 (Summer & Autumn 1999). Protection Institute of South Africa (PPRI) South America is succumbing to an intro- The newsletter of the Plant Protection looked at why an insect that could be so duced mealybug. Harrisia is invasive in Research Institute, a member body of the successful against O. stricta in Australia South African pastures, especially in the Agricultural Research Council, South should be a total failure in South Africa. warmer parts of the country. It propagates Africa. Looking back through records in the litera- mainly by seeds, which are dispersed by Further information: Hoffmann, J.H.;

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Moran, V.C.; Zimmermann, H.G. (1999) young plants and regrowth throughout the and forestry. Three new candidates have Integrated management of Opuntia stricta rest of the year. As a result of this, there has been, or are being, assessed for their host- (Haworth) Haworth (Cactaceae) in South been a significant and noticeable reduction specificity. Actinote ?thalia pyrrha from Africa: an enhanced role for two, in the abundance of the weed in the lowland Brazil is very damaging to C. odorata,but renowned, insect agents. In:Olckers,T.; areas near P. Siantar. This remarkable shows little preference for C. odorata over Hill, M.P. (eds) Biological control of weeds achievement marks the most rapid progress two indigenous Mikania species. It will in South Africa (1990-1999). African against this weed anywhere in the world in thus not be considered for release at Entomology, Memoir No. 1, pp. 15-20. terms of area controlled. present, although the situation following Klein, H. (1999) Biological control of three the release of a congeneric species in Indo- The gall fly is also established and cactaceous weeds, Pereskia aculeata nesia will be followed to see whether it has spreading in lowland areas of Aceh, and is Miller, Harrisia martinii (Labouret) an impact on mikania weed there. A second now present throughout an area of at least Britton and Cereus jamacaru De Candolle Brazilian species is more promising: ovipo- 60 km in all directions from the closely in South Africa. In: Olckers, T.; Hill, M.P. placed original release sites in this province sition and larval development results for (eds) Biological control of weeds in South of northern Sumatra. Around the research no-choice tests on the curculionid stem Africa (1990-1999). African Entomology, station at P. Siantar, the gall fly is present borer Lixus aemulus suggest that the host MemoirNo.1,pp.3-14. for at least 100 km in all directions, except range of this species does not include indig- enous or economically important species in Contact: [stricta] H. G. Zimmermann at higher altitudes. Above 500 m it has South Africa, although adult testing is not [email: [email protected]] spread much more slowly, and above 1000 yet complete. Finally, results of multiple [harrisia] Hildegard Klein m survives only in warm and sunny sites. choice tests for a leaf-mining agromyzid, [email: [email protected]] Where there are large populations, severe Calycomyza ?flavinotum, from Jamaica PPRI, Private Bag X134, Pretoria 0001, damage is caused to the plant and at the suggest that this species may be completely Republic of South Africa release site at Biruen in Aceh (where the specific to Chromolaena odorata. Fax: +27 12 329 3278 moth is still absent), the gall fly has reduced the abundance of Chromolaena. Nearer P.
Siantar, it is difficult to separate the effects Two more insect species have been priori- of the two agents, but the fly is more abun- tized and are currently in culture in South Leaner Chromolaena dant than the moth on the isolated plants or Africa: the stem-tip galling curculionid bushes to which the weed infestations have Conotrachelus sp., for which host-specifi- Chromolaena odorata (Siam weed or now been reduced. city testing will start this summer triffid weed) is a perennial shrub native to (November onwards), and the root-boring South and Central America and belongs to The moth has not established at release flea beetle Longitarsus ?horni. In addition, the Asteraceae, a family famous for its sites in west Java, but the gall fly is estab- a strain of the pathogen Mycovellosiella attractive flowers and invasive weed spe- lished and spreading, and is already perfoliata, currently in culture in South cies. In recent decades it has become a resulting in control of the weed at several Africa, will be tested for host specificity serious weed in the humid tropics of South- sites. The gall fly is now also established at this summer. South African research is also east Asia, Africa and some Pacific islands. release sites in many of the eastern Indone- focusing on several other aspects. The It spreads rapidly in forestry, pasture and sian islands, including Flores, Lombok, strain of the gall fly used in Indonesia has plantations, reaching a height of 3 m in Sumba, South Sulawesi and Irian Jaya, and been imported on three occasions, but does open situations, and up to 8 m in forests. is spreading well at sites in West Timor not seem to develop well on the South where it has been established for three African Chromolaena odorata. Although In Indonesia, a biological control pro- years. Parasitism has remained low, and no there is continuing interest in obtaining and gramme has been underway since 1990, parasites have been recorded at most sites testing strains of the fly, efforts are financed initially by the European Union with the exception of Java and Sumatra underway to identify the area of origin of (EU) and since 1993 by ACIAR (the Aus- where an Ormyrus sp. occurs. the South African strain of the weed. Mac- tralian Centre for International Agricultural romorphologically, the closest match found Research). Releases of the moth Pareucha- Testing of a third agent, the nymphalid so far is with plants collected in parts of etes pseudoinsulata have been made since Actinote anteas, has been completed, and Jamaica. Now, DNA analysis is to be 1992 in north and central Sumatra, Java and first field releases have been made. It is undertaken to compare the South African more recently in West Timor. The gall fly hoped that this butterfly may enhance the form with plants from here and other parts Procecidochares connexa has been released current poor control in the dryer areas such of the Neotropics. Pareuchaetes pseudoin- since 1995 at several sites in Sumatra, Java, as eastern Indonesia. This species also sulata was released in KwaZulu-Natal in West Timor, Irian Jaya and other eastern feeds on the related invasive weed species 1989 but failed to establish. Following the Indonesian islands. Mikania micrantha. The ACIAR project will continue until at least the end of 2000, success of the moth in Ghana (where it was Surveys conducted in 1998 found that the during which time it is hoped that control re-released from 1991-93 by James Tim- moth was widely established over an area can be extended into eastern Indonesia and billa of the Crops Research Institute, and between Banda Aceh on the northern tip of Papua New Guinea. has since established, spread and reduced Sumatra, through Aceh and Sumatera Utara C. odorata populations), and more recently Contact: Rachel McFadyen, Alan Fletcher provinces,toRiauinthecentreofthe in Indonesia, releases have been made Research Station, island. The moth is thought to be absent again using much larger numbers of moths. Queensland Department of Lands, only from the extreme northwest and the Since the beginning of the wet season in PO Box 36, Sherwood, mountainous interior. It is found at least November 1998, more than 300,000 larvae Qld 4075, Australia 500 km south of the original release sites at and several thousand adults have been Email: [email protected] Pematang Siantar. The moth has caused released at two sites close together in Fax:+61733750777 considerable damage to Chromolaena Northern Province. Initial post-release stands and large areas have been left defoli- In southern Africa, Chromolaena odorata evaluation has found substantial damage to ated in seasonal outbreaks, whilst low level is continuing to spread and poses an C. odorata and subsequent generations of populations have been maintained on increasing risk to biodiversity, agriculture larvae in the field. It remains to be seen News 107N whether this species, multivoltine in its of these seven sites, plants within several is a herb with a perennial rootstock and sev- native Trinidad, can survive the dry winter metres of the release point were found to eral erect stems, up to 1.3 m high, in South Africa. However, should it fail to have suffered severe (80-100%) defolia- regrowing each season from a rhizome. In do so, the congeneric Pareuchaetes insu- tion, and although regrowth and mist summer numerous pink to light-purple lata from Florida may be better adapted. flower seedlings were developing on and flowerheads appear at the stem-tips. Each Approval for its introduction has been between the defoliated plants respectively, flowerhead, which is about 25 mm in diam- given, and initial releases of this species both were found to be infected by the white eter, consists of hundreds of florets, each of will be made along the coast of KwaZulu- smut. which matures to produce tiny one-seeded Natal. fruits about 5 mm long with tufts of bristles A survey has also been conducted in the that aid dispersal by wind. Underground, Contact: C. Zachariades, Agricultural Waitakere Ranges Regional Park to esti- the rhizome is made up of numerous nodes Research Council, Plant Protection mate current percentage ground cover of along its length, each of which is capable of Research Institute, Private Bag X6006, mist flower there, and this procedure will producing a new plant. Dense leaf cover at Hilton, 3245 South Africa be repeated annually to assess any changes soil level in the early growth stages shades Email: [email protected] in mist flower populations. In addition, a out other species, and it may be that the Fax: +27 33 3559423 questionnaire has been devised to ask the roots also exude allelopathic substances. Its public where they have seen mist flower Source: Chromolaena odorata Newsletter apparent unpalatability to livestock means infestations throughout the country, and the No. 13. Sponsored by the Chromolaena that it will gradually replace more palatable answers will be used to construct a distribu- Network and the Chromolaena Working species. tionmapthatcanbeusedtotrackany Group. changes in distribution of the weed and its Information: Dr R. Muniappan, Campuloclinium macrocephalum does not introduced natural enemies. Agricultural Experiment Station, appear on any weed list yet and very little University of Guam, Mangilao, Plans are also continuing to introduce the information is available about it. But PPRI GU 96923, USA gall fly Procecidochares alani, which feeds scientists say that this is a rare instance of a Email: [email protected] in mist flower stems and is expected to be a weed problem developing before eve- good back-up for the fungus, potentially ryone's eyes, while it is still possible to For details of the Fifth International being effective in drier areas where the prevent it from turning into a disaster where Workshop on Biological Control of fungus is less able to provide good control. it invades grasslands. In 1987, it took a con- Chromolaena odorata to be held in South Testing has convinced Landcare Research certed effort to find a specimen of this Africa in October 2000, see BNI 20(3), that the fly is highly host specific. Apart plant, but since then the population has 82N (September 1999). from mist flower, it laid eggs only on the increased exponentially. Amongst its more
closely related Mexican devil weed worrying attributes is its ability to invade (Ageratina adenophora), but on this spe- even climax grassland and wetland habi- Mist Clearing? cies the resulting larvae did not develop tats, whilst farmers in the Pretoria area have properly and no galls were formed. Addi- begun to complain about degradation of Mist flower (Ageratina riparia)isanother tional testing of 25 plant species significant their pastures owing to this weed. invasive member of the Asteraceae, an to New Zealand was completed this year, aggressive fast-growing plant that produces and the results suggest that the fly is safe to Currently, landowners are urged to control an abundance of flowers and thence seeds, release in New Zealand. An application for the weed by manual means throughout the which are dispersed by wind and water. It is permission to release the gall fly has been growing season to limit infestation size and slightly toxic to grazing animals and is submitted to the Environmental Risk Man- spread. No chemicals are yet registered for allelopathic. Native to Central America, it agement Authority (New Zealand). it, although informal testing has begun. has become a serious weed in many coun- However, it appears to be a promising can- tries throughout the world, and was the Source: Patua Te Otaota – Weed Clippings. didate for biological control. During subject of what is considered an outstand- Biological Control of Weeds Annual exploration for natural enemies of other ingly successful control programme in Review 1998/99. Manaaki Whenua – invasive species, a PPRI scientist making a Hawaii in the 1970s. Mist flower is now Landcare Research, New Zealand Ltd, cursory examination of C. macrocephalum abundant in the North Island of New Zea- PO Box 69, Lincoln, New Zealand. in Brazil found two moth species, a fly and land, and careful consideration went into Contact: Jane Frohlich, Landcare Research, a midge developing in the flower heads, planning a biological control programme, Private bag 92170, Mt Albert, while a damaging rust fungus was seen on based on data from Hawaii. [see Morin et Auckland, New Zealand a herbarium specimen collected in Brazil. al., (1997) BNI 18(3), 77N-88N.]. Email: [email protected] The Weeds Research Division is ready to Fax: +64 9 849 7093 undertake research on biological control of In 1999 the first agent, the white smut this weed once funding is obtained. fungus Entyloma ageratinae, was released
at nine sites in the Auckland, Northland and Source: Plant Protection News No. 54 Waikato Regions, and a comprehensive Seeds of a Weed Problem? (Autumn 1999). The newsletter of the Plant monitoring system has been set up to track Protection Research Institute, a member its progress. Release sites are being AnothermemberoftheAsteraceaethat body of the Agricultural Research Council, checked at regular intervals to determine looks set to join the ranks of other invasive South Africa. the spread of the fungus between plants and species in this family is Campuloclinium patches of plants. After 4-6 weeks smut macrocephalum. A native of Brazil, it was Contact: Stefan Neser, PPRI, spores and secondary infections were found first recorded in South Africa in the 1970s, Private Bag X134, Pretoria 0001, at all release sites, so establishment looks although the date of its arrival in the Republic of South Africa promising. After 7-10 months, seven of the country is unclear. It was probably brought Email: [email protected] release sites were re-examined and the in as a garden ornamental plant, but it is Fax: +27 21 3293278 fungus was found to have spread to plants now spreading throughout Pretoria and its up to 700 m from the release point. At four environs. Campuloclinium macrocephalum
108N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4

Speedy Seed Fly Source: Patua Te Otaota – Weed Clippings. Unlike their hosts, biological control agents Biological Control of Weeds Annual are often painfully slow at finding their way The South African shrubs boneseed and Review 1998/99. Manaaki Whenua – around. For this reason, scientists at Land- bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera Landcare Research, New Zealand Ltd, PO care Research now focus early on in spp.) are serious invaders of natural ecosys- Box 69, Lincoln, New Zealand. biocontrol programmes on developing tems in eastern and southern Australia, and methods for aiding the reluctant travellers. have been the subject of biological control Contact: Pauline Syrett, Landcare However, expected problems with the dis- attempts since 1987. Seven insect species Research, PO Box 69, Lincoln, persal of the tiny (1-2 mm) old man's beard have been released during this time. A New Zealand leafminer (Phytomyza vitalbae)didnot moth, Comostolopsis germana,iswidely Email: [email protected] materialize. The leafminer was first established in the field and is causing Fax: +64 3 325 2418 released in 1996, and while Landcare damage, but a more recent introduction, the
Research were diligently working out har- seed fly Mesoclanis polana, has had a spec- vesting methods for its redistribution, the tacular rate of spread. leafminer was quietly dispersing all by Mass Attack on The seed fly is extremely difficult to breed itself and is now colonizing most of the old in the laboratory and was released in Aus- Hawkweed man's beard infestations in New Zealand. tralia from material field collected in South Old man's beard leaf fungus (Phoma clem- The hawkweed Hieracium pilosella is a Africa, after it had been subjected to atidina) has also shown a surprising turn of perennial species native to Europe that has screening for diseases. In August 1996, 124 speed, and has been recovered at sites up to become a serious weed in New Zealand adult seed flies were released in northern 200 km from the nearest known release grassland and pasture. The threat comes not New South Wales (NSW). Surveys con- sites, and this during the dry season. The just from seeds, but from stolons, long run- ducted two years after the release found that moisture-loving fungus may have more ners that are the means of vegetative all bitou bush plants along 1200 km of the surprises in store when wetter weather reproduction and spread through new areas. NSW and Queensland coast, up to 600 km arrives. A third agent, old man's beard sawfly (Monophadnus spinolae) has been from the release site, were infested with the Two agents have been released against it in released at one site, but establishment has seed fly, and seed production was dropping 1999. The hieracium gall wasp (Aulacidea yet to be confirmed and more releases are substantially as a result. subterminalis) which damages the stolons planned for next year. Other promising agents are still being was released in South Island in February, assessed in South Africa. A Tortrix sp. is and the hieracium plume moth (Oxyptilus Source: Patua Te Otaota – Weed Clippings. the most damaging agent discovered so far, pilosellae) which damages the centre of the Biological Control of Weeds Annual and application for its release has been sub- rosette plants was liberated in the same area Review 1998/99. Manaaki Whenua – mitted. The insect has undergone extensive in March. Landcare Research, New Zealand Ltd, PO Box 69, Lincoln, New Zealand. field testing in South Africa. This cater- The Hieracium Control Trust are planning pillar defoliates growing tips and mature to apply for permission to release three fur- Contact: Simon Fowler branches, and can cause premature plant ther agents at the same time: a gall midge [[email protected]] or Hugh death. Field studies in South Africa also which attacks the leaves (Macrolabis Gourlay [[email protected]] indicate that a rust fungus, Endophyllum pilosellae), a root hover fly (Cheilosia Landcare Research, PO Box 69, osteospermi, has considerable potential praecox) and a crown hover fly (Cheilosia Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand (particularly against boneseed). A method psilophthalma). Final testing of these spe- Fax: +64 3 325 2418 of inoculation has been developed and host cies is expected by Christmas this year, but
specificity testing is almost complete. early results suggest that all three species are quite specific to hieracium and safe to Sources: AQIS Bulletin February 1999. Green Giant CSIRO Weed Management Program introduce to New Zealand. Homepage: http://www.ento.csiro.au/ Source: Patua Te Otaota – Weed Clippings. Bridal creeper (Asparagus asparagoides)is research/weedmgmt/program.htm Biological Control of Weeds Annual one of seven species of Asparagus to have become naturalized in Australia, and it has Contact: Penny Edwards, Review 1998/99. Manaaki Whenua – invaded native vegetation in Victoria, CSIRO Entomology, Landcare Research, New Zealand Ltd, South Australia, Western Australia, New Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre, PO Box 69, Lincoln, New Zealand. South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania. It PMB 44, Winnellie, NT 0821, shoots after autumn rains, and rapidly Australia Contact: Pauline Syrett, Landcare scrambles over/up understorey vegetation, Email: [email protected] Research, PO Box 69, Lincoln, forming dense blankets. However, most of Fax: +61 8 8944 8444 New Zealand Email: [email protected] the plant’s biomass is underground, in the In New Zealand, boneseed is widely estab- Fax: +64 3 325 2418 form of dense tuber mats. The plant lished, especially in northern and eastern senesces with the onset of summer. The
areas. In recent years it has begun to spread fruits are eaten by birds which then disperse its range from traditional urban and coastal the seeds. By these means the plant has the areas to inland pasture and conservation Bearded Wonder ability to invade undisturbed habitats Sur- areas, and prospects for biological control veys in its native South Africa have turned are being assessed. At least four of the Size has proved no object when it comes to up a number of promising agents, including agents identified in South Africa on behalf taming old man's beard (Clematis vitalba) a leafhopper (Zygina sp.), a leaf beetle (Cri- of the Australian programme may be suit- in New Zealand. This woody climber is oceris sp.), a seed-feeding wasp (Eurytoma able for New Zealand, including the also known as 'traveller's joy' in its native sp.) and a rust fungus (Puccinia myrsi- lepidopteran species Tortrix sp. and C. ger- Europe, and agents released for its control phylli). The leafhopper was approved for mana, the fungus E. osteospermi and the in New Zealand certainly seem to have the release in May 1999 and has been released seed-feeding fly Mesoclanis magnipalpis. wanderlust. in nursery sites across southern Australia. News 109N

Host testing of the rust, which causes con- against cat's claw anywhere in the causes premature leaf abscission and die- siderable damage to the creeper in South world. back of shoot tips. Following host Africa, is complete, and application for its specificity tests that showed the beetle to be Fast-growing, frost-hardy and drought tol- release is being sought from the Australian specific to cat's claw creeper, approval for erant with masses of yellow trumpet- quarantine and inspection service. Host release was given in February 1999, and the shaped flowers in spring, cat's claw creeper testing of Crioceris is well advanced, and first release followed in March close to the seemed a useful and attractive plant to will shortly commence for Eurytoma. edge of the Grootvadersbosch. A mass- South African gardeners. But the many rearing project is continuing at this site, Source: CSIRO Weed Management flowers develop into long pod-like seed although attempts to overwinter beetles hit Program Homepage: http:// capsules that produce large numbers of problems. Beetle numbers have now been www.ento.csiro.au/research/weedmgmt/ winged seeds in summer, and this has con- boosted, and it is hoped that numbers will program.htm tributed to the plant becoming a serious build up sufficiently during spring and invasive weed. The plant also has an exten- early summer of 1999/2000 to allow Contact: Tim Woodburn, sive root system, and large tubers, formed releases to be made into surrounding infes- CSIRO Entomology/CRC Weed along the lateral roots, each produce tations. Releases are also planned for areas, Management Systems, Western Australian climbing runners that themselves can form especially conservation areas, in KwaZulu- Laboratory, Private Bag, tuber-like roots wherever a node touches Natal during this summer. It is hoped that PO Wembley 6014, Australia the ground. All tubers, whether along lat- the severe damage the beetle is expected to Email: [email protected] erals or at the nodes of runners, can produce inflict will reduce the density of weed can- Fax: +61 8 93336646 new plants if separated from the parent opies and mats, so allowing other plants to plant. Mechanical control seems doomed to Also native to South Africa, climbing compete better. The stress from sustained failure. Chemical control kills only the top- asparagus (Asparagus scandens)isa defoliation may also reduce seeding and growth and is thus at best a temporary problem in bush remnants and urban areas slow the rate of further invasion. in New Zealand, where it kills trees by ring- solution, and is, in any case, inappropriate barking them and also prevents regeneration in natural forests. Source: Plant Protection News No. 54 by forming a carpet of creeper more than 2 Cat’s claw creeper has escaped cultivation (Autumn 1999). The newsletter of the Plant m thick. Birds can drop seed into dense and invaded natural vegetation, particularly Protection Research Institute, a member bush giving rise to new infestations. It is woodland and forest, as well as cultivated body of the Agricultural Research Council, already widespread in many areas of North orchards, forestry plantations, roadsides South Africa. Island. Herbicidal controls are of limited and open urban spaces. The full extent of Contact: Hester Sparks, use in native forests. No biological control the current distribution and the threat posed Weeds Research Division, Rietondale, programme has been conducted against this by the weed are not yet fully known. It Pretoria, weed anywhere else in the world, and no occurs in gardens in many parts of the South Africa agents have yet been identified. Of agents country, yet awareness of its invasive Email: [email protected] identified in the Australian programme for potential has only developed in the last five Fax: +27 12 329 3278 bridal creeper, only the wasp is likely to years. However, it is has definitely assumed attack climbing asparagus, and this species an invasive status in areas of the Northern
may also harm the fruit of cultivated aspar- Province, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu- agus. However, damage to climbing Natal. In natural forests, the weed forms a Bug for Bugweed asparagus was noticed during the Aus- thick carpet on forest floors and clambers tralian exploratory work for agents for up tree trunks (using the clawed tendrils to Another first for South Africa was the bridal creeper, and further work would be which it owes its common name) to drape release of the lace bug Gargaphia decoris needed in South Africa to follow this up. itself over the tree canopy, where a combi- against bugweed, Solanum mauritianum in Source: Patua Te Otaota – Weed Clippings. nation of weight and shading can kill even May 1999. The release near Sabie was the Biological Control of Weeds Annual the largest canopy trees. In addition, by first release of a biocontrol agent for S. Review 1998/99. Manaaki Whenua – excluding light from the undergrowth it mauritianum anywhere in the world. This Landcare Research, New Zealand Ltd, outcompetes shallow-rooted understorey South American weed is a major environ- PO Box 69, Lincoln, New Zealand. plants and suppresses seed germination. mental problem in the high rainfall regions The largest remaining indigenous forest in of South Africa and has been a target for Contact: Pauline Syrett, South Africa, the Grootvadersbosch, is biological control since 1984. Research Landcare Research, PO Box 69, Lincoln, threatened by a large infestation on its efforts have been intensified since 1993, Canterbury, New Zealand eastern boundary, which has already and since 1996 research and importation of Email: [email protected] severely degraded some of the bordering agents has been funded by the ‘Working for Fax: +64 3 325 2418 indigenous forest despite costly control Water’ (WFW) Programme of the Depart-
attempts. ment of Water Affairs and Forestry. A biological control programme was initi- Most potential biocontrol agents were dis- Tortoise Beetle to Tame a ated in 1996, when possible agents for cat's qualified because of unacceptable broad Wildcat claw creeper were found during surveys of host ranges, but G. decoris proved to be other weeds in South America. Collections host specific. It was also believed to have The release of a tortoise beetle in since in Central and South America have considerable potential because of its rapid March 1999 near the Grootvaders- yielded nine insect species, of which the life cycle and rate of population increase, bosch, the largest remaining area of leaf-feeding gold spotted tortoise beetle, and the high damage levels it inflicted on S. indigenous forest in northern South Charidotis auroguttata, was prioritized for mauritianum. After considerable delay, Africa, marked an important step in a introduction and screening. Both larvae and largely owing to new environmental legis- programme to control cat's claw adult beetles feed on the leaves of the lation, it was cleared for release. Cultures of creeper (Macfadyena unguis-cati). creeper, causing them to become skele- the lace bug are currently being propagated This was the first release of an agent tonized. At high populations densities, this by the insect-rearing facility of the WFW 110N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4

Programme at Tzaneen in the Northern articles in the following compilation of DOS and 4.03 for Windows 95), Word 7.0, Province and at the Cedara Weeds Labora- whitefly news are about two species: Aleu- or ASCII text format. The databases are tory of ARC-PPRI (Agricultural Research rodicus dispersus (spiralling whitefly) and also available on diskette upon request Council – Plant Protection Research Insti- Bemisia tabaci, particularly the B biotype/ from: tute) in KwaZulu-Natal, so that extensive Bemisia argentifolii (known variously as releases can be made in the spring of 1999. silverleaf whitefly, sweetpotato whitefly, Steve Naranjo, USDA-ARS, The goal of these releases is to distribute etc.). There is a great deal of uncertainty Western Cotton Research Laboratory, and establish G. decoris in all the major regarding the taxonomy of Bemisia white- 4135 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix, regions of South Africa where S. mauri- flies and whitefly parasitoids in general, Arizona 85040, USA tianum is invasive. It is envisaged that and we have not attempted to standardize Email: [email protected] future distribution to landowners will be authors’ nomenclature here. We apologise Fax: +1 602 379 4509 undertaken by the WFW Programme in if this is a source of confusion to some collaboration with state departments and readers, and irritation to others, but Andrew
private companies. Polaszek does round up this whitefly selec- tion with some advice on unravelling the Exploratory releases have already been European Whitefly Studies confusion. made to determine whether the insects will Network survive in the cold winters of high altitude Like most world tours, this one is selective areas (Guateng, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpu- and perhaps arbitrary in its coverage. It is The European Whitefly Studies Network malanga) and in coastal areas with milder merely to give a flavour of what is hap- (EWSN) had its beginnings when a group winters. If cold winters prove a killer to this pening in whitefly biocontrol/IPM research of UK and Spanish scientists (with the sup- bug from the subtropics of northeastern and implementation rather than an over- port of the British Council and the Royal Argentina, importations of more cold- view, and for more extensive information Society) formed a whitefly studies network adapted ‘strains’ from higher altitude areas readers are directed to the many contacts to collate information on the escalating of its range in Brazil may be the solution. and resources given below. whitefly problems in southern Europe, and Monitoring the release sites and other bug-
particularly the Iberian Peninsula. As these weed infestations will enable researchers to problems spread into Portugal and to the Atlantic islands, a much larger network of document the establishment and spread of Whitefly Net G. decoris. Landowners will be helped to European researchers and industrialists was established and EWSN was born. The Net- identify the biocontrol agent by the distri- A worldwide open forum for communica- work now has over 50 members from 13 bution of an illustrated information sheet on tion among whitefly workers is the e-mail countries with expertise in virology, bio- the life cycle and effects of G. decoris,and listserv ‘WHITEFLY-L’. To subscribe to logical control, resistance management, there will be a monitoring sheet for the list, send an e-mail message to: epidemiology, plant health, systematics recording sightings of the bug and the [email protected] and modelling, and is currently funded by a damage inflicted on S. mauritianum. Post- Leave the subject box blank, and in the two-year EU–FAIR grant, supplemented release evaluations will be able to use this body of the message type: by funding from the agrochemical and bio- information to assess the contribution the subscribe whitefly-l yourname logical control industries. It provides a bugismakingtobugweedmanagement.At For more information see an article on the forum for gathering information on white- the same time, research is continuing as it is Whitefly E-mail Exchange Group in the flies within European agriculture, through expected that a complex of biocontrol Bemisia Newsletter at: meetings, workshops, a newsletter and a agents will be needed to reduce both the http://165.95.55.206/biru/bemisia11.htm reproductive capacity and rapid growth rate website: of bugweed populations in South Africa. The Bemisia Newsletter is co-edited by http://www.jic.bbsrc.ac.uk/hosting/eu/ Currently under quarantine testing in Kwa- Walker Jones and Dan Gerling. The ewsn Zulu-Natal are two promising agents, a Homepage contains an archive of past flowerbud-feeding weevil (Anthonomus Newsletters, together with links to other ThefirstworkshopwasheldinMay1999at santacruzi) and a leaf-mining flea beetle whitefly resources and may be found at: Norwich, UK and provided an opportunity (Acallepitrix sp.). http://165.95.55.206/biru/bemisia.htm for participants to come together and dis- cuss topical issues. An overview of the Source: Plant Protection News No. 56 Contact: Walker A. Jones, Research outcome of these discussions for each disci- (Spring/Summer 1999). The newsletter of Leader, USDA, ARS, Kika de la Garza, pline area will be posted on the website. the Plant Protection Research Institute, a Subtropical Agricultural Research Center, The first issue of the Newsletter was pub- member body of the Agricultural Research Beneficial Insect Research Unit, lished in September 1999 and includes Council, South Africa. 2413 East Highway 83, Weslaco, TX, USA research notes and reports from partici- Email: [email protected] pating countries. Contact: Terry Olckers, Fax: +1 956 969 4888 Weeds Research Division, PPRI, Cedara, Coordinated by: Ian Bedford and Michael Private Bag X6006, Hilton 3245, The 1999 edition of ‘Bibliography of de Courcy-Williams. For further informa- Republic of South Africa Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) and Bemisia tion contact the Research Facilitator David Email: [email protected] argentifolii Bellows & Perring’ is available Oliver at: Fax: +27 331 3559423 for downloading on the USDA-ARS,
Western Cotton Research Lab homepage: http://pwa.ars.usda.gov/wcrl/ EWSN, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Whitefly Selection The 1999 edition includes the entire data- Colney Lane, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK base (current through the end of 1998) and E-mail: [email protected] Whiteflies are a serious global pest threat, the 1998 addendum which includes cita- Fax: +44 1603 456844 and a diversity of initiatives are underway tions cataloged during 1998. The databases around the world to tackle this. Most of the can be downloaded in ProCite (2.11 for
News 111N

The CGIAR Whitefly IPM South American parasitoids against are currently being analysed and compiled Project whitefly pests on cassava. into the first major Project Report. The Report will be available, both in book form The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign In recognition of the crucial importance of and on the World Wide Web, in early 2000. IPM to sustainable agricultural develop- Affairs and Trade (MFAT) granted funding ment, the Consultative Group on for Sustainable Integrated Management of Contact: Pamela K. Anderson, International Agriculture (CGIAR), has Whiteflies through Host Plant Resistance. International Center for Tropical established the Systemwide Program for The objective of the MFAT-funded project Agriculture (CIAT), Apartado 6713, IPM (SP-IPM). One of the projects within is to study the mechanism and genetics of Cali, Colombia the SP-IPM is the Project for Sustainable cassava lines with whitefly resistance, to Email: [email protected] Integrated Management of Whiteflies as map the genes for whitefly resistance in Fax: +57 2 4450073 PestsandVectorsofPlantVirusesinthe cassava, and to develop molecular markers
Tropics. The coordinating centre for this for subsequent use in the improvement of project is the International Center for Trop- African, Latin American and Asian cassava ical Agriculture (CIAT) in Cali, Colombia. germplasm. And, the USAID Office of For- Texas Mobilized eign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) has To begin organizing the project, a task approved the Emergency Programme to The appearance of a new biotype of force meeting was held at CIAT in Cali on Combat the Cassava Mosaic Disease Pan- Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (now considered 13-15 February 1996, with representatives demic in East Africa. The objective of this a new species, the silverleaf whitefly, B. from CG International Agricultural disaster assistance is to boost production of argentifolii Perring & Bellows) in Texas Research Centres (IARCs), National Agri- cassava in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania has had a devastating effect on agriculture cultural Research Systems (NARS), and and enhance both short and longer term in the southern part of the state, particularly Advanced Research Institutions (ARIs). food security, through the implementation in cole crops, cucurbits and cotton. In The Whitefly IPM Task Force recom- of an emergency programme to multiply response to the new pest outbreak, the Agri- mended that work focus on three priority and disseminate mosaic resistant cassava. cultural Research Service (ARS), US problems for the tropics: Department of Agriculture (USDA), The US Department of Agriculture's Agri- directed scientists at the Beneficial Insects 1. Whiteflies as pests in the tropical cultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) Research Unit (BIRU), Kika de la Garza, highlands; has recently entered the partnership to link Subtropical Agricultural Research Center 2. Bemisia tabaci as a vector of viruses in ARSresearchonwhitefliestotheCGIAR in Weslaco, Texas, to initiate research to mixed cropping systems of the tropical whitefly research, and to directly fund determine the feasibility of applying bio- lowlands; research on the epidemiology of whitefly- logical control technology as an IPM transmitted geminiviruses. management tactic. A team was formed 3. Whiteflies as vectors of viruses and composed of specialists in predators, para- pests of cassava. Geographically, the Whitefly IPM Project is organized into six sub-projects: sitoids and pathogens, with vegetables as The Task Force also suggested geograph- the primary target cropping system. Collab- ical areas in which to begin the work and 1. Whiteflies as pests in the tropical orative arrangements were initiated with developed a Work Plan to address these highlands of Latin America; other ARS facilities, Texas A & M and other universities and USDA-APHIS problems. 2. Whiteflies as vectors of viruses in (Animal and Plant Health Inspection mixed cropping systems in the tropical The CGIAR Whitefly IPM Project consists Service), as well as industry partners. of a constellation of donor-funded special lowlands of Central America, Mexico projects. Work began in 1997 with funding and the Caribbean; A National Research, Action, and Tech- from the Danish International Develop- nology Transfer Plan was established in 3. Whiteflies as vectors of viruses in ment Agency (Danida) to cover (Phase 1) 1992 to bring together producers, industry, mixed cropping systems in eastern and work on the formation of a network of pro- researchers and extension personnel at all southern Africa; fessionals working on whiteflies and levels to meet each year, share progress and whitefly-transmitted viruses and in the 4. Whiteflies as vectors of viruses in prioritize and plan subsequent collaborative tropics; and the establishment of a collabo- mixed cropping systems in Southeast research. A report is published annually. rative research agenda for characterization Asia; The next review conference will be held in of whitefly problems in Latin America and San Diego, California, USA in February, Africa. Characterization of the whitefly 5. Whiteflies as vectors of viruses in 2000. For more information please visit: problems is being conducted through cassava and sweet potato in sub- http://www.slwf.ucr.edu/ extensive survey work in the participating Saharan Africa; In south Texas, BIRU initially began countries. These surveys include the identi- 6. Whiteflies as pests of cassava in South research activities by conducting surveys to fication of potential biocontrol agents of America. determine the seasonal abundance and spe- whiteflies. In 1999, the Australian Centre cies composition of natural enemies, for International Agricultural Research The network of professionals collaborating primarily parasitoids, with seven species (ACIAR) granted funding for the character- on the Whitefly IPM Project include five recorded. Two aphelinids were the most ization work in Southeast Asia. International Agricultural Research Cen- important: Eretmocerus tejanus and tres; nine Advanced Research Institutions The USAID Collaborative Research Grants Encarsia pergandiella. These parasitoids, inAustralia,Denmark,Germany,New Program approved funding to study the bio- as well as several imported species, were Zealand, the UK and the USA; and logical control of whitefly pests, by evaluated as candidates for mass produc- National Agricultural Research System indigenous natural enemies, for major food tion and augmentation. Studies on institutions in 30 countries in Latin crops in the Neotropics. The principal candidate parasitoids included measure- America, Africa and Asia. objective of this project is to continue ments of biological attributes, interspecific exploration of indigenous parasitoids and The results of the Danida-funded and interactions, tritrophic interactions, host determine the efficiency of indigenous USAID-funded characterization projects species and stage preferences, foraging 112N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4 behavior, sampling, insecticide effects, tabaci (Biotype B) in agricultural ecosys- dislodgment were consistently the two rearing techniques, cold storage, etc. Cer- tems, yet we have a poor understanding of greatest sources of mortality during each tain Eretmocerus spp. imported and the rates of these mortality factors and how individual developmental stage. The rate of released by USDA-APHIS, Mission, they may be involved in overall population parasitism in the 4th stadium approached Texas, apparently have become established regulation. The effects of various insecti- 10% in some generations and was con- in the area. Native and exotic species cides are generally well known, but the sistent with independent evaluations from among the genera Chrysoperla (Neurop- effects of such factors as predation and leaf samples in the same plots. An unusual, tera), Serangium (Coccinellidae), and parasitism are much more difficult to but unknown source of mortality affected Deraeocoris (Heteroptera) have also been assess. This task is made even harder 4th instar nymphs during the 3rd generation evaluated as potential biological control because of overlapping generations of in 1998 and contributed to 0% survivorship agents to aid in managing Bemisia. whiteflies in the field and because pest in that generation across all treatment plots. management activities provide further The posterior sections of affected nymphs The most immediate success has been with sources of mortality that may enhance or were severely sunken and necrotic areas microbial agents. Strains among the genera disrupt natural enemies. We have been were sometimes visible at the tips of devel- of fungal pathogens Achersonia, Beau- using a direct observation technique to con- oping wingbuds. Investigations are still veria, Paecilomyces,andVerticillium were struct cohort-based life tables of B. tabaci underway to define this mortality agent. obtained and evaluated in a series of labora- on cotton in central Arizona over the past tory and field tests. A strain of Beauveria Preliminary estimation of irreplaceable three years. These studies have identified, bassiana was found to be as virulent as mortality showed that, overall, relatively quantified, and compared in situ sources other pathogens and could be produced little mortality from any source is com- and rates of mortality of immature whitefly inexpensively in large quantities. In a part- pletely irreplaceable. This indicates that the stages in untreated cotton fields and in nership with Mycotech, Inc. (Butte, MT, various mortality factors interact and fields under three different insecticide USA), a product, Mycotrol
, has been reg- readily replace one another during the five regimes. Here we summarize our findings istered for commercial use. Other immature developmental stages. Averaged from a total of ten life tables completed in pathogens, production systems and applica- over ten generations, 15.5% of mortality untreated cotton during 1997 and 1998. tion technology continue to be evaluated. from predation, 10.4% of mortality from dislodgment, 2.2% of mortality from invia- By: Walker A. Jones, Research Leader, Combining all immature stages (eggs and bility, and <1% of mortality from USDA, ARS, Kika de la Garza, all four nymphal instars), predation by parasitism were irreplaceable. Four addi- Subtropical Agricultural Research Center, sucking predators was a large source of tional generations were observed in 1999 Beneficial Insect Research Unit, mortality, especially during 1997. and we now have a robust data set that will 2413 East Highway 83, Weslaco, Observed rates of predation varied from besubjectedtodetailedkey-factorandden- Texas, USA 36% to 51% in 1997, and 7% to 42% in sity-dependent analyses. Email: [email protected] 1998. A consistently large fraction of Fax: +1 956 969 4888 immatures was also killed by being dis- By:StevenE.Naranjo,USDA-ARS, Internet: http://rsru2.tamu.edu/ lodged from leaves (29-51% in 1997; 23- Western Cotton Research Laboratory, http://165.95.55.206/biru/biru.htm 43% in 1998). Dislodgment probably 4135 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix, Geminivirus Group resulted from a combination of weather Arizona 85040, USA (wind and rain) and chewing predation. Email: [email protected] Another group that meets annually in the Inviability of eggs was a major source of Fax: +1 602 379 4509 USA is the Western Region Coordinating mortality during three generations over the And: Peter C. Ellsworth, Department of Committee 087 [WCC-087] ‘Fundamental two years (30-68%), but was minor in all Entomology, University of Arizona, Biology and Management of the Bemisia other generations examined (2-17%). Para- Maricopa Agricultural Center, tabaci Species Complex, and Associated sitism by two genera of native parasitoids 37860 W. Smith-Enke Road, Maricopa, Plant Geminivirus Diseases and Disorders’. (Eretmocerus and Encarsia) was a very Arizona 85239, USA Its objectives include assembling a multi- minor source of overall immature mortality Email: [email protected] disciplinary team of scientists addressing (0-4%). Survivorship from egg to adult Fax: +1 520 568 2556 whitefly-related and geminivirus-incited ranged from 0.8% to 9.5 % in 1997, and 0%
disease problems to establish research prior- to 18.2% in 1998 suggesting a large impact ities, promote and coordinate an exchange of of natural forces on whitefly mortality in ideas and information on whitefly/gemini- the field. Partitioning mortality across the Native Parasitoids: virus-related problems, and foster five developmental stages, we found that a Australia’s Answer? cooperative, interdisciplinary research in the large portion of immature mortality context of integrated pest and disease man- occurred in the egg stage (42-76% in 1997; Researchers in Australia have over the past agement approaches. It also aims to promote 35-97% in 1998). Of the four nymphal three years evaluated the performance, as networking, communication and exchange stages the largest proportion of mortality measured by daily rate of parasitism and of resources both within and outside the consistently occurred during the 4th sta- total parasitism, of five species of Apheli- USA, so as to contribute to worldwide man- dium (7-28% in 1997; 2-23% in 1998). nidae found in Australia parasitizing agement of the problem. Stage-specific rates of mortality were Bemisia tabaci biotype B. Two Eretmocerus Contact: Walker Jones, address above. highest for eggs and 4th instar nymphs, spp., Eret. queenslandensis and Eret. reflecting, in part, the fact that these are the mundus (Australian parthenogenetic form;
longest developmental stages in the life APF) were the most effective agents in cycle. Stage-specific rates of mortality terms of parasitism. Both species appear to What’s Killing Bemisia in rarely exceeded 30% during any of the first be native to Australia, although Eret. the Field? three nymphal stadia, but frequently queenslandensis probably has an Australia- exceeded 50% for eggs and 60% for 4th Asian distribution, while Eret. mundus Many biotic and abiotic mortality factors stage nymphs. As expected from results of (APF) probably represents a distinct popu- impact the population dynamics of Bemisia overall immature mortality, predation and lation of the normally biparental species News 113N which has long been geographically as several other species, Eret. hayati species collected from commercial tomato isolated. (Multan, Pakistan), Eret. emiratus (Arab areas on the south coast of Puerto Rico. The Emirates) and Eret. mundus (Murcia, legume Crotalaria juncea hosted the In field cage trials using both species, para- Spain) released in the USA, indicating that largest whitefly parasitoid population, but sitism increased with increasing whitefly this group of Eretmocerus spp. may contain only an intermediate whitefly density. density. Further, the increase in parasitism some of the most effective biological con- was not due to the presence of more parasi- trol agents of B. tabaci biotype B. Further The presence of broccoli affected the inci- toids as neither the parasitoid-whitefly ratio comparisons of several regions of DNA dence of whitefly on the tomato plants: nor the total number of parasitoids present have shown that these species are all whitefly populations on tomato planted had a significant effect on parasitism. In the closely related and may form a genetic next to broccoli were half of those in con- experiment the treatment involving a com- group that is distinct from other species of trol plots, but double those in plots treated bination of the two species, gave similar Eretmocerus. Further, when the phylogeny with imidacloprid, (the insecticide com- levels of parasitism to that achieved by of B. tabaci is matched against the origins mercially used for whitefly control). Eret. mundus (APF) alone. Subsequent of these species of Eretmocerus,itis However, broccoli is affected by Plutella identification of the emerged parasitoid apparent that apart from being Old World xylostella (diamondback moth), requiring species indicated that over 50% of the para- species, there is little or no association with insecticide applications. Dealing with broc- sitism was due to Eret. mundus (APF) the centre of origin of the B biotype coli pests is troublesome for large, suggesting that this species out-competed (Middle Eastern). What appears to be more mechanized tomato farmers, but the eco- Eret. queenslandensis. Despite this compe- important is the climate from which both nomic incentive of producing broccoli may tition there was no reduction in the overall the B biotype and the parasitoids were be attractive to small farmers, and it is an numbers of whitefly killed and so no evi- obtained, i.e. hot dry climates. alternative for small-scale traditional dence for disruption to biological control. farmers in the mountainous areas of Puerto Unlike most species of Eretmocerus By: Paul De Barro, Project Leader, Rico and possibly other Caribbean islands. attacking B. tabaci, both species are obli- Whitefly Research, CSIRO Entomology, gate uniparental species. This appears to be PB 3, Indooroopilly, Qld 4068, Australia The lowest whitefly density in the three- induced by Wolbachia. This is certainly the Email: [email protected] year study was recorded for the Asteraceae case for Eret. mundus (APF) where a Fax: +61 7 3214 2885 species, Wedelia trilobata. This plant has Group B Wolbachia sp. has been shown to
the potential to be used as refuge crop for be the cause of parthenogenesis. Partheno- whitefly natural enemies and also as a repellent plant against whiteflies. The den- genesis is curable by treatment with Refuge Crops Enhance antibiotics although the subsequent males sity of whiteflies in tomato associated with and females are unable to produce a stable Whitefly IPM W. trilobata was similar to that in tomato treated with imidacloprid. The low whitefly biparental line. Why the species from Aus- The silverleaf whitefly Bemisia argentifolii population seems to be a combined effect tralia are parthenogenetic is not clear. An is a key factor affecting tomato production of the high number of whitefly natural ene- explanation may lie in the low abundance in Puerto Rico. As an important export mies on the plant and a low preference for and scattered distribution of the indigenous crop, the problem is made more severe for W. trilobata by the whitefly or a repellent Australian biotype of B. tabaci. Both para- farmers because high importation standards action of W. trilobata against the whitefly. sitoid species appear to be specific to B. need to be met. However, an IPM strategy tabaci and so being parthenogenetic may has been developed for whitefly manage- ThepresenceofHibiscus esculenta and be advantageous when dealing with a low ment in tomatoes involving alternative density host. Oscinum basilicum also attracted whiteflies management practices, which in an on- natural enemies. However, their use as Interestingly, despite being parthenogenetic, farm trial made an annual saving of up to companion crops in tomato planting needs both Eretmocerus species successfully para- US$500/acre [approx. $200/ha]. The col- to be closely monitored as whiteflies sitized more than ten nymphs per day. This laborators in the project were the migrate to tomato as the companion crops is a higher rate of oviposition than what is University of Puerto Rico and the Univer- senesce. Both crops provided an economic normally expected for aphelinids. Being sity of Florida, together with a farmer and incentive (as a cash crop) to farmers. parthenogenetic may impart several bene- the US Department of Agriculture (APHIS/ fits upon Eret. mundus (APF) in terms of PPQ – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Growth of the cover crop Mucuna deering- their ability to function as effective biolog- Service/Plant Protection and Quarantine). iana was slow and did not provide ical control agents. It has been suggested appropriate soil coverage. The cover crop Field trials that parthenogenetic species (a) will have did not bloom until late in the season, after higher population rates of increase and Field trials were established in the Fortuna most of the tomato crop was harvested. higher sting rates, (b) are likely to be better Agricultural Experiment Station and at Therefore, no flowers were available for colonizers and more easily established at Gargiulo Puerto Rico Inc. in Santa Isabel, natural enemies during the critical period of low population densities as there is no need Puerto Rico to look at possible alternative tomato fruit set and ripening. In a separate to find a mate, and (c) may be more cost means of whitefly control. The efficacy of trial, another legume, Phaseolus acutifo- effective to produce in mass rearing as pro- several plant species (Crotalaria juncea, lius, was tested as a cover crop. Whitefly duction is not ‘wasted’ on males. These Hibiscus esculenta, Phaseolus acutifolius, densities were 33% lower on tomato plots benefits were contingent upon the species Desmodium ovalifolium, Mucuna deering- with P. acutifolius than on plots with no not having reduced fertility leading to a iana, Oreganum vulgare (oregano),Oscinum cover crop. Preliminary data suggest that reduced number of females produced. The basilicum (sweet basil), Wedelia trilobata the legume is preferred to tomato by white- results from this study when compared with and Brassica oleracea (broccoli)) as refuge flies. However, the legume should be studies using closely related sexually repro- crops for whitefly natural enemies or as trap treated with insecticides to prevent whitefly ducing species, indicate there is no crops was assessed. Whitefly populations movement onto tomato plots later in the evidence for reduced fertility. Further, this and whitefly natural enemies were moni- season. The total number of parasitoids in study suggests that in terms of oviposition, toredinbothtomatoandcompanioncrops. plots with P. acutifolius cover was almost Eret. mundus (APF) is performing as well Bemisia argentifolii was the only whitefly twice that in plots with bare ground. Beans, 114N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4 however, harbour a virus that can affect selection of the companion crop depends Mediterranean strain of Encarsia formosa tomato. on the intensity of the cropping system. from Egypt. They found that there was a Small traditional farmers will benefit from commonly repeated segment of DNA in The insecticide mix commonly used by the use of broccoli, which in addition to this strain, 33 base pairs in length, and from farmers, endosulfan + lamdacyhalothrin + providing a refuge for whitefly natural ene- cypermethrin did not provide whitefly con- this they developed a DNA probe (a genetic mies also provides a cash crop. However, trol compared with an unsprayed control. sequence that binds only to a specific base- large-scale farmers probably will benefit On the other hand, the use of imidacloprid pair sequence). In practice, the technique more from using C. juncea or W. trilobata, provided adequate whitefly control. The involves squashing a wasp on filter paper, avoiding the extra cultural practices associ- combination of imidacloprid with com- immersing the paper in a radioactive DNA ated with the management of broccoli. In panion or cover crops provided adequate probe solution, rinsing the paper, then order to be effective (to provide a refuge for whitefly control and preserved whitefly testing it for any significant residual radio- whitefly natural enemies and allow for an natural enemies. active activity, which indicates that the early establishment of whitefly natural ene- probe has ‘found’ the eastern Mediterranean On-Farm Trial mies), the companion crop needs to be E. formosa-specific base-pair sequence. established two to three months before the An IPM programme was developed and Potentially, if radioactive probes were tomato. The use of companion crops can implemented in a commercial setting. An replaced by probes with fluorescent dyes also be supplemented with the liberation of agreement with Gargiulo Puerto Rico Inc., attached, the test could be used in the field. whitefly natural enemies. the largest tomato producer on the island, allowed the IPM model to be validated on a Acknowledgements So far, the test is restricted to identifying 50 acre [approx. 20 ha] field on the south one strain of E. formosa, but the same tech- The authors express appreciation to Gar- coast of Puerto Rico, over two consecutive niquecanbeusedtodeveloptestsforexotic giulo Puerto Rico Inc. for their support on seasons. A total of 21,545 linear feet [some and native Encarsia and other parasitoids. this project. The collaboration of M. Ciom- 6.5 km] of C. juncea was established along Already, probes have been developed that perlik, USDA-PPQ, Texas and Leyinska the border and head roads. Whitefly natural can distinguish strains of Eretmocerus from Wiscovitch, USDA-PPQ, Puerto Rico is enemies were liberated on C. juncea. Sug- the Old World, Pakistan and the United also recognized. arcane was used as wind breaks and as a Arab Emirates. barrier to prevent whitefly dispersal from By: Alberto Pantoja, Irma Cabrera and adjacent fields. Harold Bastidas, University of Puerto Rico, Source: Agricultural Research, April 1999. Department of Crop Protection, Puerto An economic analysis of the costs of the Rico Agricultural Experiment Station, IPM programme indicated a reduction in Contact: Dennis R. Nelson, USDA-ARS PO Box 9030, Mayaguez, production costs of $350 per acre in the first Red River Valley Agricultural Research Puerto Rico 00681, USA year and $500 per acre in the second year. Center, PO Box 5677, University Station, Email: [email protected] The logistics and problems associated with Fargo, ND 58105, USA And: Phil Stansly, University of Florida, the establishment of the companion crop E-mail: [email protected] Southwest Florida Research and Education two to three months prior to planting the Fax: +1 701 239 1202 Center, Immokalee, FL 34143, USA tomato crop need further research and were Email: [email protected] not considered in this preliminary eco-
Fax: +1 941 658 3470 nomic analysis. However, the economic and ecological incentives motivated this
farmer to implement the programme on Whiteflies Take Medicinals half of the farm (about 200 acres – 81 ha). Probes Take the Strain Although the IPM programme was tailor made for a large farmer, the methodology Silverleaf whitefly currently costs US veg- In South Carolina, USA, whiteflies used and the results from small plots allow etable, cotton and horticulture farmers (Bemisia argentifolii) infested and com- for adaptation to other areas and farmers. some US$500 million annually. Many par- pleted development on five perennial Implementation of the IPM programme asitoid species and strains have been species of medicinal herbal plants: reduced production costs by reducing the collected from its area of origin in the Old feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), St. number of insecticide applications, pre- World. These have been, or are in the John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), served whitefly natural enemies, and process of being, evaluated for potential as purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida and provided an economic incentive to farmers biocontrol agents, and some have already E. purpurea) and common valerian (Vale- using broccoli, sweet basil or oregano as been released in the USA. There are also a riana officinalis). This is the first report of companion crops. large number of native Encarsia. Keeping whiteflies attacking and developing on tabs on which species or strains are suc- Although whitefly was controlled under the these plant species. From late November cessful in establishing and exerting control, IPM model, the soybean looper caused 1998 to January 1999, density of whitefly and which are not, is quite a problem when severe damage to tomato. It is not clear why nymphs was highest on E. purpurea. closely related and morphologically similar this secondary pest became a major pest in species are involved, and well-nigh impos- the south coast of Puerto Rico. This topic By: Gloria S. McCutcheon*, sible for physically indistinguishable requires additional research, but was out- A. M. Simmons and B. M. Shepard strains without time-consuming and costly side the scope of our research project. *Clemson University, Coastal Research PCR (polymerase chain reaction) methods. and Education Center, Recommendations [For an explanation of this technique, see 2865 Savannah Highway, Charleston, BNI 20(2), 51N-54N June 1999]. The use is recommended of broccoli,P. SC 29414-5332, USA acutifolius, W. trilobata and C. juncea as Now USDA-ARS scientists at Fargo, North Email: [email protected] companion or cover crops in the implemen- Dakota have developed a simpler, faster Fax: +1 843 571 4654 tation of IPM programmes for whitefly and cheaper DNA ‘fingerprinting’ tech- control in tomatoes in Puerto Rico. The nique for identifying the eastern
News 115N

Exotic Parasitoids Are Source: Abd-Rabou, S. (1999) Biological the northern side of the Torres Strait. By Just the Ticket control of the cotton whitefly, Bemisia 1995 it had crossed the Strait and was found tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyro- at Bamaga on the northern tip of Cape The cotton whitefly Bemisia tabaci is an didae) in Egypt. Shashpa 6(1), 53-57. York. Since then it has moved south, with important pest of economic crops in Egypt
outbreaks reported on the western side of and infests 82 host plant species. Three spe- the Cape near Weipa in 1997 and on the cies of predators and four aphelinid species east Coast, and some 600 km further south, Spiralling Whitefly at Cairns in 1998. It has not yet been found have been found associated with it there, Natural Enemies in India but these are apparently unable to exert in commercial horticultural production areas. Surveys in the Townsville area are effective control. In the last few years the Spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus, under way and action taken will depend on whitefly has become a serious pest as a is a relatively new arrival in India. It was how extensive the new infestation is found transmitter of viral diseases to tomato and first recorded in the country in Trivandrum to be. For the moment, measures aimed at cotton. Studies were therefore begun to in 1994, and was found in Bangalore for the voluntary restriction of plant movement assess the prospects for some exotic agents, firsttimein1995.AstudyinBangalore have been publicized. Survey teams are which had already been successfully used conducted over the next two years recorded also looking for evidence of Encarsia para- in control programmes in the USA, Jamaica it on a total of 45 plant species from 24 fam- sitoids, and releases of the whitefly and Israel. ilies, and eight of these were new host parasitoid in the Townsville area are being records. Particularly heavy populations planned. So far the only Encarsia found Three aphelinids and the coccinellid pred- were found on Psidium guajava (guava), parasitizing spiralling whitefly has been E. ator Delphastus pusillus were obtained Michelia champaka, Poinsettia pulcher- nr. haitiensis. This is the same agent that from commercial sources in Europe and imma and Carica papaya (pawpaw/ hasbeenveryeffectiveonmanyofthe were released at six localities within 48 h of papaya). Although nine local predators Pacific Island countries. It was released into arrival, directly onto plants heavily infested were found attacking the whitefly, and the Torres Strait and has since been redistrib- with B. tabaci but free of native parasitoids. coccinellid Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and uted to all known areas of infestation where First releases were made at the end of the green lacewing Mallada astur were it has established and begun to spread. March/beginning of April, and follow-up commonly associated with it, these were releases were made later in the season. All unable to suppress spiralling whitefly Source: AQIS Bulletin August 1999, p. 7. parasitoid species were released onto populations. tomato, Egyptian cotton (Gossypium bar- Contact: Paul De Barro, Project Leader, badense)andLantana camara,and Source: Mani, M; Krishnamoorthy, A. Whitefly Research, CSIRO Entomology, Encarsia formosa was also released onto (1999) Natural enemies and host plants of PB 3, Indooroopilly, Qld 4068, Australia aubergine; D. pusillus was released onto spiralling whitefly Aleurodicus dispersus Email: [email protected] aubergine only. Russell (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) in Ban- Fax: +61 7 3214 2885 galore, Karnataka. Entomon 24(1),75-80.
Observations made following the releases In a separate study in Kerala State, spiral- indicated that parasitism by E. formosa ling whitefly-infested leaves of brinjal Marshalling Natural increased from 0-7.3% four weeks after the (aubergine/eggplant), chillies and guava first release to 11.1-29.5% some six weeks were collected from the field and the white- Enemies in the Pacific later. Eretmocerus mundus parasitized flies reared through in the laboratory. Aleurodicus dispersus is known to thrive in 14.7%-35.0% of B. tabaci some four weeks Parasitized individuals were found devel- prolonged dry weather conditions in the after release, and 24.9-68.4% a month after oping on all host plants, and these appeared absence of natural enemies, and this has that. Eretmocerus californicus also estab- to be an undescribed species of Encarsia contributed to its increase in the countries lished quickly and is concluded to be the near E. meritoria. They were identified by of the northern Pacific. In April 1998, an most promising of the agents tested so far. Dr Mohammed Hayat, Aligarh Muslim outbreak of spiralling whitefly was Parasitism rates some five weeks after University, Uttar Pradesh, who suggested reported from the island of Kosrae in the release were 8.1%-21.7%, and were 25.9%- that they may be the Caribbean Encarsia Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). A 62.5% after five months; the highest rate species associated elsewhere with spiral- number of releases of Encarsia spp. have was 62.5% on L. camara. It was evident ling whitefly. This is the first record of a been made since then using material field that all three parasitoids established easily parasitoid of A. dispersus from India. collected in Pohnpei, FSM by the SPC and spread quickly through the release (Secretariat of the Pacific Community) areas with a dramatic impact on whitefly Source: Pathummal Beevi, S.; Lyla, K.R; Plant Protection Project, Micronesia. The populations. The coccinellid appeared to Vidya, P. (1999) Report of Encarsia damage during 1999 has been significantly have more difficulty in establishing ini- (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) on spiralling reduced by the parasitoids. tially, and few D. pusillus were found four whitefly Aleurodicus dispersus Russell weeks after release. However, six months (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). Insect Environ- There have also been serious outbreaks in later the population had increased ten-fold ment 5(1),44. Kiribati and the island of Nauru, where and all life stages were present.
favourable weather conditions and the absence of natural enemies have meant that It is concluded that parasitoids and preda- Spiralling Southwards spiralling whitefly has become a major tors of B. tabaci can be successfully problem. SPC scientists found that established in the field in Egypt by impor- The Queensland Department of Primary although Encarsia works well in control- tation of commercial biocontrol agents and Industries is on the alert for spiralling ling small infestations, Nephaspis spp. direct field release. It is suggested that whitefly following the discovery of an out- predators were more efficient at reducing direct importation and periodic release in break of Aleurodicus dispersus in large populations and complement the the field can be considered as a viable Townsville. Native to the Caribbean, spi- effects of the parasitoids. The SPC Plant option for the control of B. tabaci by exotic ralling whitefly was detected in Papua New Protection Service Biocontrol Laboratory natural enemies in Egypt. Guinea in 1987, and by 1991 had spread to in Suva (Fiji) screened and reared 116N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4

Nephaspis dispar, and have released it in virus disease on tomatoes is addressed by haitiensis stock used to start the culture was both Kiribati and Nauru. They are now the development of an integrated approach, obtained from cultures in Fiji and Taiwan. rearing N. dispar and Encarsia,andmore using a combination of different control However, during 1997, E. Hernandez- releases of these agents are expected soon. measures. Suarez and A. Carnero of ICIA (Instituto Source: SPC Agricultural News (newsletter The whitefly project is still at an early Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias), Ten- from the Agricultural Programme of the stage. So far, eight parasitoids of Bemisia erife, detected that an undescribed whitefly Secretariat of the Pacific Community) 8(1), tabaci and Trialeurodes vaporariorum, species (later described as Lecanoideus 10 (June/July 1999). from the provinces of Gauteng and Mpu- floccissimus by J. H. Martin of the Natural Contact: Konrad Englberger, malanga, have been identified by A. History Museum, UK) was in reality the Polaszek (CABI) and G. Prinsloo (ARC- main cause of the increasing whitefly infes- PO Box 2299, Kolonia, Pohnpei 96941, Federated States of Micronesia Plant Protection Research Institute). These tations. Lecanoideus floccissimus was include Encarsia davidi, E. formosa, E. subsequently shown to be highly polypha- Email: [email protected] Fax: +691 320 5854 hispida, E. transvena, Encarsia sp. lutea- gous. It lives on many plant species Pranish Prasad, Plant Protection Service, group, two hitherto undescribed Encarsia together with A. dispersus, with pupae and spp. and Eretmocerus spp. adults of both species side by side on the PrivateMailBag,Suva,Fiji same leaf. However, no parasitized L. floc- Email: [email protected] Contact: Kerstin Krüger, cisimus were found on Tenerife, which Fax: +679 370021 ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, explained the fast-growing populations of Private Bag X134, Pretoria 0001,
this whitefly. In comparison, at some times South Africa of the year, A. dispersus was relatively Email: [email protected] Whitefly IPM in South well-parasitized by the already present par- Fax: +27 12 3293278 Africa asitoid Encarsia hispida.
A preliminary survey of whiteflies revealed During the project for mass-rearing E.nr. that the South African fauna comprises haitienis it became evident that, probably Encarsia guadeloupae Hits about 20 species. This figure is rather small due to the rearing environment, no progeny compared with other African countries, New Whitefly of the parasitoid were produced on either L. floccissimus or A. dispersus. However, such as Congo and Chad, whose whitefly A first record of Encarsia guadeloupae par- fauna has been more extensively studied, another known parasitoid of A. dispersus, asitizing Lecanoideus floccissimus is Encarsia guadeloupae, had been uninten- and more species are expected to occur in reported from the Canary Islands. Since the South Africa. tionally co-introduced into the culture, the early 1990s, there has been a sharp increase identification being made by E. Hernandez- The major whitefly pests in South Africa on in numbers of whiteflies on ornamentals Suarez and by A. Polaszek of CABI Bio- vegetables and other crops include Bemisia and food crops in Tenerife (Canary science. In contrast to E.nr.haitiensis, E. tabaci (B-biotype) and Trialeurodes vapo- Islands). These were first thought to be the guadeloupae flourished and proved to be a rariorum. Apart from having caused spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus. very good parasite of L. floccissimus in cul- sporadic problems under greenhouse con- This species was first detected on Tenerife ture, so the goal of the project was changed. ditions, these two species have not in 1965 (identified by Dr L. M. Russell of The new aims became to set up a mass-cul- previously been considered pests in this the US Department of Agriculture), and it ture of E. guadeloupae, and to release this country. Indeed, collecting records, espe- has been a minor problem on six of the parasitoid in the field. The first E. guade- cially of Bemisia, are very scanty. As seven Canary Islands since then. But more loupae release was made in December happened in other countries, it appears that recently, in the rapidly growing tourist 1998, and the first E. guadeloupae-parasit- whiteflies have built up resistance towards developments in the south of Tenerife, ized pupae of L. floccissimus were detected many insecticides and are becoming an infestations on a diversity of ornamental in the field in June 1999. This year cul- increasing problem. In addition, a tomato species, such as Washingtonia palms, Ficus turing and release of E. guadeloupae will yellow leaf curl-like disease that is trans- trees and Strelitzia spp., have become very be continued and its effectiveness for con- mitted by whiteflies has been discovered in serious. In addition, in the north of the trolling L. floccissimus in the field South Africa in 1997/1998. The disease is island around Puerta de la Cruz, and the examined. caused by a so far undescribed begomoge- capital Santa Cruz, whitefly populations minivirus. It is confined to the Onderberg have increased rapidly. Banana, a main By:B.W.NijhofandL.Oudman,Nijhof area of Mpumalanga and is considered to crop on the island and important for the BGB, Vogelzangsteeg 19, be a serious threat to the South African export industry, was also heavily infested. 9479 TE Noordlaren, The Netherlands tomato industry. The cause of this increase was not clear, but Email: [email protected] was thought to be due in part to several Fax: +31 504062819 A project has been initiated to develop con- abnormal dry and warm winters and in part And: R. Torres and C. Garrido Lopez, trol strategies based on IPM with emphasis to the exponentially growing areas planted Servicio de Agricultura, Plaza de Espana 1, on biological control, using indigenous nat- with exotic ornamentals in the tourist 38003, Santa Cruz, Canary Islands, Spain ural enemies (parasitoids/predators) as resorts. Email: [email protected] biological control agents for whiteflies. The Fax: +34 922239785 search for such agents entails: (i) the collec- In 1997 Cabildo of Tenerife, the national tion, identification and monitoring of agricultural service, agreed to start a mass-
whiteflies and their natural enemies on var- culture of the parasitoid Encarsia nr. ious agricultural crops and weeds, (ii) the haitiensis in cooperation with the Dutch Citrus Woolly Whitefly: evaluation of natural enemies as potential biological control company Nijhof BGB. Acid Test for Biocontrol biological control agents for improvement Encarsia nr. haitiensis has been success- of natural control and (iii) the development fully introduced many times in biological The citrus woolly whitefly (Aleurothrixus and implementation of integrated pest man- control programmes for A. dispersus in floccosus) which is endemic to Florida agement strategies. The control of the new other parts of the world. The E.nr. (USA) and Central and South America was News 117N first accidentally introduced to North Unit at Namulonge, Uganda. Between most common genera, and Polaszek (1997) Africa in the 1970s. Since then the pest has October 1996 and August 1998, C. noacki covered23generainanunpublished continued to spread to other citrus growing was released in farmers’ fields in six dis- training manual. It is planned to issue a countries in West, East and southern tricts. Post-release field monitoring done in comprehensive and well-illustrated key in Africa. In West Africa, A. floccosus was 1997 and 1998 indicated that the parasitoid 2000 to all 30 currently known genera. This reported in São Tomé and Principé in 1984, was established at all sites and that it was will be available on CD as well as hard while on the other side of the continent it giving effective control of the pest. The copy, and is the result of current collabora- was first recorded in the island of La parasitoid was also recorded 15 km away tion between CABI Bioscience (A. Réunion in 1985. The exact date of its intro- from the release foci within the first year, Polaszek) The Natural History Museum, duction to the East African mainland is thus confirming its ability to spread freely London (J. H. Martin) and the International debatable but there is evidence to show that to new areas. Institute of Tropical Agriculture (G. it has been in Kenya since 1990. It was Goergen). It will also include illustrated In Kenya, the parasitoid was released at reported in northern Tanzania in 1993. keys to all species of economically impor- four sites in April 1998. Post-release sur- tant whiteflies. Between April and June 1995, the GTZ veys have revealed its establishment in all (Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenar- release areas. Preliminary results of its At the moment, all known whitefly parasi- beit, Germany) IPM Horticulture Project in impact on whitefly populations are very toids belong to just two major groups. The collaboration with the national research promising. In July 1999, C. noacki was first are the platygastroids (the well-known programmes of Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, recorded in two citrus growing districts Amitus, the little-known Aleyroctonus,and Uganda and Zambia conducted a survey to bordering Uganda, this providing further several undescribed, uncommon genera), determine the spread and incidence of the evidence of the ability of C. noacki to the remainder are all chalcidoids. A very pest in the region. The survey indicated that spread freely and colonize new areas. Fur- basic knowledge of Hymenoptera mor- A. floccosus is widespread in the mainland ther releases are planned in Malawi and phology serves to separate these groups or of East and southern Africa and that it is an Tanzania in August 1999. superfamilies, after which any of the economic pest of citrus in the region. It is regional keys to chalcidoid families and Contact: Richard Molo, NAAPRI, NARO, likely that the pest has spread to far more genera will facilitate further identification PO Box 7084, Kampala, Uganda countries in the region than currently (e.g. Subba Rao & Hayat, 1985; Gibson et Email: [email protected] known. al., 1997). Fax +256 42 21047 Chemical control of A. floccosus has not Francis Nang’ayo, Biocontrol Unit, Species-level Identification proved successful in any country where the NARC Muguga, PO Box 30148, pest has invaded citrus plantations. Wher- Nairobi, Kenya Species-level identification is currently a ever A. floccosus has occurred, effective Email: [email protected] problem in most groups of whitefly control has mostly been achieved by the use Bernhard Loehr/A. A. Seif, parasitoids. of its natural enemies, the most promising GTZ IPM Horticulture Project, Platygastridae: For Amitus there are no parasitoid being Cales noacki.Thisparasi- PO Box 41607, Nairobi, Kenya keys available, and a global species revi- toid is known to be effective and also Email: [email protected] sion is planned (A. Polaszek, in prep.). capable of spreading quickly in the field. In Fax +254 2 861307 Aleyroctonus is also somewhat problem- Sicily, the parasitoid was able to reduce the atic, with one described species, several pest population by 91.2% in the first year of By: Brigitte Nyambo and A. A. Seif Source: GTZ IPM Horticulture Project undescribed, and a number of related, but its release, and by the second year a reduc- apparently distinct, genera also tion in the pest population of 98.4%
undescribed. resulted in significant savings to the citrus industry. However, although C. noacki is Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae, Encyr- Identification of Whitefly known to be effective, and therefore the tidae, Signiphoridae: There are very few most favoured parasitoid for the control of Parasitoids: Some Advice published records from these families, so in some ways species-level identification will the pest, efforts to introduce it into West The development of control methods for always be problematic. LaSalle et al. Africa were fruitless. The parasitoid was whiteflies, whether classical biological (1997) described Idioporus affinis,an therefore considered to be unsuitable for control or components of IPM, is often eunotine pteromalid parasitoid of Aleurod- introduction in sub-Saharan Africa, hampered by the difficulty of identifying icus dugesii in Central America and the although the failure in West Africa is their parasitoids. The following is a brief southern USA. Signiphora species are thought to be partly due to misidentification résumé of what information is currently commonly reared from whiteflies in the of the whitefly species involved. available, what is currently being devel- Americas, mostly as hypers. There are a However, the disappointing results oped, and some consistent problems in few unpublished records of Chartocerus obtained in West Africa meant that a pilot taxonomy of whitefly parasitoids and (Signiphoridae), also as hypers, from the project was considered a prerequisite approaches to their solution. Old World. Several Metaphycus species before embarking on a full scale release Family- and Genus-level Identification (Encyrtidae) appear to be specialized programme of C. noacki in East and whitefly primary parasitoids in Central and southern Africa in an effort to control the It may surprise some people to learn that a South America, but none of these is yet spread of A. floccosus, and thus save the total of 30 genera, belonging to five fami- described (J. S. Noyes & A. Polaszek, in citrus industry in the region. After the lies of Hymenoptera have been recorded prep.). whitefly species occurring in East Africa (not all published) either as primary or sec- had been properly identified, an attempt to ondary (hyper) parasitoids of Aleyrodidae. Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae: Euderom- control the pest using C. noacki was made Of course, many of the genera represent phalini: The euderomphalines constitute a by Uganda in collaboration with the GTZ rare, sporadic or unusual records, but are very interesting group of specialist whitefly IPM Horticulture Project. The pilot project still noteworthy if one is to develop a per- parasitoids which are particularly abundant was initiated in 1996 by the GTZ IPM Hor- spective of aleyrodid/parasitoid population and diverse in Central and South America, ticulture Project and the Biological Control dynamics. Gerling (1990) keyed out the six but also occur elsewhere. The most wide- 118N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4 spread genus Euderomphale is in need of except for Hayat’s (1998) treatment of the Heraty, J.M.; Polaszek, A. (submitted) revision. LaSalle & Schauff (1994) treated Indian species. Two recent publications by Morphological analysis and descriptions of Euderomphalini at generic level but many Rose & Zolnerowich (1997, 1998), selected species in the Encarsia strenua species known to these authors are still although rather difficult to use, have allevi- group (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). undescribed. ated the situation slightly, but there are still Journal of Hymenoptera Research. a great many obstacles to the successful Chalcidoidea: Aphelinidae: This is the identification of Eretmocerus species. In Huang, J.; Polaszek, A. (1998) A revision most problematic group taxonomically, short, a usable world revision is called for, of the Chinese species of Encarsia Foerster with a few exceptions. The well-known although it is difficult to say when such a (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae): parasitoids Cales noacki (placed in Aphelinidae only project will be completed. of whiteflies, scale insects and aphids for convenience) is generally not a problem (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae, Diaspididae, to identify. Apart from a few isolated Training in Identification of Whitefly Aphidoidea) Journal of Natural History 32, records of Myiocnema and Ablerus (prob- Parasitoids 1-141. ably both as hypers), the remaining problems are in Dirphys, Encarsiella, CABI Bioscience, in association with the LaSalle, J.; Schauff, M.E. (1994) System- Encarsia and Eretmocerus. The former two Natural History Museum, London, runs a atics of the tribe Euderomphalini genera were treated together by Polaszek & four-day training course on whiteflies of (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae): parasitoids of Hayat (1992), but since then many new economic importance and their natural ene- whiteflies (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). Sys- species have been recognised, and a new mies. This course, which is largely tematic Entomology 19, 235-258. revision is in preparation by this author. taxonomic but includes rearing and LaSalle, J.; Polaszek, A.; Noyes, J.S.; Zol- Encarsia and Eretmocerus are bigger mounting methods, as well as economic nerowich, G. (1997) A new whitefly problems! aspects, has been held on several occasions parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae: at their former London base, and also in the Encarsia: Geographical: The Oriental Eunotinae), with comments on its place- Philippines (University of Los Baños) and region is well served at species level with ment, and implications for classification in Australia (CSIRO). The next course is pro- illustrated keys to Indian species by Hayat Chalcidoidea with particular reference to visionally scheduled for Autumn 2000. For (1989, 1998) and to Chinese species by the Eriaporinae (Hymenoptera: Apheli- further details please contact Stephanie Huang & Polaszek (1998). Europe is served nidae). Systematic Entomology 22,131- Groundwater at: by Viggiani’s (1987) key to Italian species, 150. [email protected] which works well for most European spe- Further individual or group training can be Polaszek,A.(ed) 1997 Whiteflies of eco- cies, apart from a few recent introductions. tailored according to user needs for variable nomic importance and their natural North American species were treated by periods. Please contact Andrew Polaszek at enemies. International Institute of Ento- Schauff et al. (1996). Africa and South the address below. mology / The Natural History Museum, America are the main remaining problem unpublished training manual, 102 pp. areas. References Systematic: Revisions have either been Polaszek, A.; Hayat, M. (1992) A revision undertaken, or are in preparation, for the Evans, G.A.; Polaszek, A. (1997) Addi- of the genera Dirphys Howard and Encar- following species-groups within Encarsia: tions to the Encarsia parasitoids siella Hayat (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). strenua-group: Heraty & Polaszek (sub- (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) of the Systematic Entomology 17, 181-197. mitted: strenua, protransvena and related Bemisia tabaci-complex (Homoptera: species) and Heraty & Polaszek (in prep.: Aleyrodidae) Bulletin of Entomological Polaszek, A.; Evans, G.E.; Bennett, F.D. strenua-group, world revision); cubensis- Research 87, 563-571. (1992) Encarsia parasitoids of Bemisia group: Evans & Polaszek (1998); luteola- tabaci (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae, group: Evans & Polaszek (in prep.); lutea- Evans, G.A.; Polaszek, A. (1998) The Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) – a preliminary group: Pedata & Polaszek (in prep.); and Encarsia cubensis species group guide to identification. Bulletin of Entomo- citrella-group: Evans & Polaszek (1997). (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). Proceedings logical Research 82, 375-392. Economic: Polaszek et al. (1992) treated of the Entomological Society of Wash- ington 100, 222-233. Rose, M.; Zolnerowich, G. (1997) the species known at that time to attack B. Eretmocerus Haldeman (Hymenoptera: tabaci/argentifolii, and this was updated by Gerling, D. (1990) Natural enemies of Aphelinidae) in the United States, with Evans & Polaszek (1997). Consistent prob- whiteflies: predators and parasitoids. In: descriptions of new species attacking lems in Encarsia include the identity of the Gerling, D. (ed) Whiteflies: their bio- Bemisia (tabaci complex) (Homoptera: widespread species used for biological con- nomics, pest status and management. Aleyrodidae). Proceedings of the Entomo- trol of spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus Andover, UK; Intercept, pp. 147-185. logical Society of Washington 99,1-27. dispersus. This species has been variously referred to as “Encarsia sp. near haitiensis” Gibson, G.A.P.; Huber, JT.; Woolley, J.B. Rose, M.; Zolnerowich, G. (1998) or just “E. haitiensis” or, more correctly, (1997) Annotated keys to the genera of Eretmocerus Haldeman (Hymenoptera: “Encarsia sp. near meritoria”(seeother Nearctic Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). Aphelinidae) imported and released in the contributions in this issue). Evans & Ottawa, Canada; NRC Research Press, pp. United States for control of Bemisia (tabaci Polaszek (in prep.) are attempting to solve 1-794. complex) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). Pro- the taxonomic problems in the meritoria- ceedings of the Entomological Society of subgroup of the luteola-group using mor- Hayat, M. (1989) A revision of the species Washington 100, 310-323. phological methods, supported by DNA of Encarsia Förster (Hymenoptera: Apheli- Schauff, M.E.; Evans, G.A.; Heraty, J.M. sequence data obtained by Paul DeBarro’s nidae) from India and the adjacent (1996). A pictorial guide to the species of andJohnHeraty’slabsinCanberraand countries Oriental Insects 23, 1-131. Encarsia (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) par- Riverside, respectively. Hayat, M. (1998) Aphelinidae of India asitic on whiteflies (Homoptera: Eretmocerus: It would be true to say that (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea): a taxonomic Aleyrodidae) in North America. Proceed- almost nothing useful is currently available revision. Memoirs on Entomology Interna- ings of the Entomological Society of for identification of Eretmocerus species, tional 13,1-416. Washington 98, 1-35. News 119N

Subba Rao, B.R.; Hayat, M. (eds) (1985) Pest Management. Within this field, information technology in biological The Chalcidoidea of India and the adjacent achievements have been realized in: map- control. countries. Part 1. Reviews of families and ping the biodiversity of natural enemies; keys to families and genera. Oriental the introduction of potential natural ene- Under a ‘National Repository of Natural Insects 19, 163-310. mies for managing exotic pests; Enemies’ project, the Directorate is main- standardization and development of taining live cultures of beneficial insects, Viggiani, G. (1987) Le specie italiane del improved breeding and mass production viruses, bacteria, fungi and nematodes. genere Encarsia Foerster (Hymenoptera: technologies for natural enemies, and Nucleus cultures of superior strains are sup- Aphelinidae). Bolletino del Laboratorio di developing low temperature storage tech- plied to centres/agencies for trials. The Entomologia agraria "Filippo Silvestri" nologies for them; understanding the Directorate conducts large-scale demon- Portici 44, 121-179. tritrophic relationship between host plants, strations in a number of crop ecosystems. By: A. Polaszek, Unit of Parasitoid System- pest insects and natural enemies; the devel- Collaboration with different organizations atics, CABI Bioscience UK Centre (Ascot), opment of superior strains of natural including CABI Bioscience, UK are in Department of Biology, enemies for different crop ecosystems and operation at the Directorate, and the Direc- Imperial College at Silwood Park, tolerance to pesticides; and the develop- torate has been recognized as a Team of Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK ment of biocontrol based technologies for Excellence for Training in biological con- Email: [email protected] pest management in crops including sugar- trol in the country under a World Bank- Fax: +44 1491 829123 cane, cotton, maize, tobacco, vegetables funded NATP (National Agricultural Tech- and fruit crops. A number of these technol-
nology Project). The Documentation Unit ogies have been transferred to private produces a newsletter for biocontrol enterprise for commercial exploitation, Indian Hive of Biocontrol workers, and Journal of Biological Control including the recently developed endo- is published by the Society for Biocontrol Activity sulfan-tolerant strain of the egg parasitoid Advancement. In the last issue, it was announced that the Trichogramma chilonis [see BNI 19(3), Project Directorate of Biological Control in 74N-75N] Current research priorities include the Bangalore had been given the ‘Best Institu- development of biocontrol for export-ori- The Directorate is organized into laborato- tion Award’ for 1998 by the Indian Council ented crops, crops under protected ries in Biosystematics, Introduction and of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New cultivation, organic farming, and standardi- Quarantine, Mass Production, Pathology, Delhi for furthering the cause of ecologi- zation of techniques for natural enemy Entomophagous Insect Behaviour, and cally sound pest management. Here we conservation. Technologies under develop- Biotechnology, in addition to a Co-ordina- give a short history of the Directorate and ment include effective strains of tion, Documentation and Training Cell. an outline of its many and varied activities. entomophilic nematodes for management The Directorate is well equipped and has of soil pests, fungal agents for nematode The Directorate was established by ICAR excellent facilities for research, training, pests and weeds, fungal antagonists for during 1993 by upgrading the existing All- education and consultancy on all aspects of managing root rot and wilt diseases, and India Coordinated Research Project on Bio- biological control. Mysore University, effective baculoviruses for pest manage- logical Control of Crop Pests and Weeds. Bangalore University and the University of ment. The Directorate is striving to develop Since then it has scaled new heights by Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka a ‘green alternative to chemical pest con- virtue of concerted and systematic research have recognized the Directorate as a centre trol’ so that dependence on chemical efforts, effective team work, a liberal work for post-graduate studies. The Directorate pesticides can be reduced. culture and disciplined financial and is also recognized as a nodal agency for the administrative support. The Directorate has import/export of biocontrol agents into/ By:DrS.P.Singh,ProjectDirectorateof a network of 16 crop-orientated field cen- from the country. The Agricultural Biological Control (ICAR), P. B. No. 2491, tres in different state agricultural Research Information Service network and H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, universities and ICAR institutes. The an excellently stocked library, which con- Bangalore – 560 024, India Directorate has made rapid strides in basic tains CD databases, a reprint collection, Email: [email protected] research on different aspects of biological books and bibiliographies on different Fax: +91 80 3411961 control, and this has formed the basis for aspects of biological control, have enabled technologies in Biointensive Integrated the Directorate to remain at the forefront of
Training News

In this section we welcome all your experi- scheme for vegetable IPM in Ghana. The grammes was for vegetable IPM/FFS ences in working directly with the end- Ghanaian Government's enthusiasm for training. users of arthropod and microbial biocon- FFSs has its origins in a successful pilot The sub-programme began with a national trol agents or in educational activities on project on FFSs in rice IPM in 1996, which survey of crop practices in vegetables, fol- natural enemies aimed at students, farmers, became the starting point for an expansion lowed in January 1998 by a workshop to extension staff or policymakers. of FFS/IPM training into other crops within design a workplan for a six-month vege- the framework of the National IPM Pro- table IPM trial validation period. At the Vegetable IPM Gains gramme. A consultative workshop in May workshop, vegetable farmers' problems Ground in Ghana 1997 made recommendations and an action were prioritized, and these were linked with plan for this expansion, which included a field trials and exercises to be validated by Good planning and prior validation of national programme and a sub-programme the future vegetable IPM master trainers. methods are key elements in the success of tailor-made for five districts selected for Validation of the trials and exercises was a Farmer Field School (FFS) training UNDP assistance. One of these sub-pro- conducted during a 'pre-TOT' (Training of 120N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4

Trainers) period at Ashiaman in February- of both knowledge and resources, to resulted in the failure of the major tomato August 1998. Participants were local scien- manage it. However, the results from the crop. tists and IPM trainers who had undergone cabbage trials conducted during the season- the previous IPM TOT in 1995-96, and had long IPM TOT, which compared farmers’ For the last 15 years, farmers in the Fayoum conducted subsequent rice IPM FFSs. The traditional practices with IPM practices, have benefitted from support by the Dutch- output of the workshop was a detailed work suggest that FFSs can lead to radical funded Horticultural Development Project plan for the pre-TOT period, including six improvements for cabbage growers. The (HDP) The project has investigated and field trials each for tomato and cabbage, IPM practices included improved nursery developed measures to alleviate TYLCV, dealing with the effects on crop health and and planting practices, the use of manure including land preparation, reduction of production of variety and nursery practices, and mulches, and weekly AESA to decide insecticide use, post-harvest sanitation, land preparation, transplanting method, fer- whether crop protection measures (biopes- introduction of virus-resistant/tolerant tilizer, intercropping, weed management, ticides – Bacillus thuringiensis, and hybrids, elimination of a known alternative pest and disease management, water man- botanicals – neem and garlic) were needed. host (Datura stramonium) in the vicinity agement and harvesting procedures. Cabbage yields and net returns recorded in and identification of other over-summering Potential IPM exercises to be validated three farmers fields indicated that where hosts, interrupting continuous tomato crop- throughout this period were also designed, farmers used their conventional practices, ping, intercropping with aubergine, and together with methods for agro-ecosystem they achieved yields of 1.8-14.4 t/ha and trapping whiteflies in open nurseries. analysis (AESA). A study tour by three of consistently made losses (of Cedi 0.67-1.6 According to a survey on current practices the future vegetable IPM master trainers to million), but where they adopted IPM prac- conducted in 1996, farmers intercrop toma- the Cambodia IPM programme was made tices, they achieved yields of 18.3-27.5 t/ toes with cucurbits so the latter can act as a in February 1998. ha, and consistently showed profits (of trap crop for the whiteflies and reduce Cedi 1.7-3.9 million). [US$1  Cedi 2500] TYLCV incidence in the tomatoes. (The The results of the validation trials were Fayoum produces some 21% of Egypt’s used as the basis for a workshop held in Contact: Janny Vos, CABI Bioscience UK cucurbits.) The most common tomato August 1998 to develop a curriculum for a Centre (Ascot), Silwood Park, variety in the Fayoum, Castle Rock, is very season-long vegetable IPM TOT. The Buckhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7TA, UK susceptible to TYLCV and has no heat tol- workshop was in two parts: during the first Email: [email protected] erance. Hybrid varieties have been week, participants included a mixture of Fax: +44 1491 829123 introduced by the HDP, notably Jackal university and research institution scien-
which is TYLCV-tolerant. Raising hybrid tists, representatives from the Ministry of seedlings in unprotected seedbeds is profit- Food and Agriculture (MOFA), the Vege- able but also very risky with a high chance table Producers and Exporters Association Tomato Training at the of failure, so most hybrid seedlings are of Ghana, Ghana Irrigation Development Fayoum Oasis raised in protected shade houses and sold Authority, FAO (the Food and Agricultural on. However, only 5-10% of farmers grow Organization of the UN), GTZ (Gesells- The Fayoum Oasis is a natural depression hybrid tomatoes because they view the cost chaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit, 80 km west of Cairo in Egypt, of which the of investment in expensive hybrid plants as Germany) and the Post-Harvest Division of deepest part (Lake Qarun) is some 40 m still too high while the shortage of irrigation MOFA, together with coordinators of veg- below sea level. The climate is dry (10 mm water continues. Seeds, fertilizers and pes- etable projects, IPM/FFS master trainers, annual rainfall) with hot summers and mild ticides have been identified as the major vegetable farmers and an IPM/FFS con- winters, and the entire area is dependent on cost items in tomato cultivation in the sultant from CABI Bioscience. The second irrigation water from the River Nile, which Fayoum. Results of surveys found that week was more informal, with master enters via a single conduit from the south- most farmers interviewed applied fertilizers trainers and the CABI Bioscience con- east, the Bahr Yousof Canal. Yet the at least once a season. They also indicated sultant discussing and preparing a detailed Fayoum has always been one of Egypt’s that 45% of farmers used six or more ferti- curriculum for the vegetable TOT in Weija. major crop-producing areas. Irrigation lizer applications a season and, in addition, water is available year-round, but the The season-long IPM TOT began at the some 80% used insecticides, 30% acari- supply is limited in the hottest months. Weija Irrigation Project on 24 August cides and 40% fungicides; most farmers About 87% of the area is cultivated with 1998, and ran until 18 December of the spray insecticides less than four times and field crops (wheat, berseem, sorghum, same year, following the curriculum fungicides once each season, but some maize, cotton) and 9% with vegetables devised at the workshop, and incorporating spray five or six times. A host of minor (notably tomato and cucurbits). The crop- trials on cabbage and tomato. Five FFSs pests have been recorded on tomatoes in the ping pattern is based on three seasons: with 25-30 farmers took place simultane- Fayoum but two other major problems are winter, summer and nili. Although some ously for the TOT trainees to learn and blossom rot and root-knot nematodes (nem- 20% of Egypt’s total tomato production is practise FFS skills. There were some 30 atodes are found in about 50% of fields). still located in the Fayoum, it has declined TOT trainees, who came from Ghana and to its present level of some 13,500 feddan The HDP ended in August 1999 but it has Malawi, and from both government minis- from some 70,000 feddan in 1989 [1 feddan been succeeded by another Dutch-funded tries and institutions and NGOs. After the = 0.42 ha]. In recent years a geminivirus, project, the Fayoum Integrated Pest Man- TOT, graduate trainers returned to their tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) agement Project, which has been conceived various bases in Ghana and Malawi and ini- transmitted by whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci), as a follow up to increase adoption of the tiated vegetable FFSs in their respective has been a serious constraint to tomato cul- HDP results by farmers. The first 15-month areas. tivation, and this has been related to the planning phase is to prepare for an imple- By the end of 1999, 240 farmers at Weija development of insecticide resistance in the mentation programme that will have a had been trained through the TOT in 1998 vector. TYLCV is a widespread and devas- Farmer Field School (FFS) focus on IPM in and follow-up FFFs in 1999. Many farmers tating disease of tomato in the eastern tomato and also cotton and possibly other at Weija had abandoned cabbage growing Mediterranean. It was first described in crops. An important goal is to convince over recent years because pest damage was Israel in 1966, and from Egypt in 1969. A stakeholders of the effectiveness and feasi- so high and they were ill-equipped, in terms severe outbreak in Fayoum in 1988-89 bility of an IPM approach through FFS in News 121N the Fayoum. A pilot study is being con- within eastern Africa. This was indeed the lowed the project through to the end. This ducted to demonstrate this and to identify, first course of its kind in the region as it led to a five-year collaborative project, develop and/or adapt suitable technology involved a multi-disciplinary and inter-dis- which began in 1993, between LARC and for local conditions. Pilot learning activities ciplinarytrainingapproachwhichwas Landusers' Perspective With Agricultural for tomato are expected to include investi- received with a lot of enthusiasm by the Research and Development (UPWARD) in gations into the effects on TYLCV of participants as well as resource personnel. the Philippines to try similar methods in protected vs open nurseries, hybrid vs Owing to the success of this first course, two further villages. common varieties, mixed cropping with ICIPE is planning to organize similar Disease management tours that had been coriander vs monocropping, and the use of courses in the near future. conducted since 1987 meant that farmers botanicals/biopesticides. A training pro- The course was organized with grant sup- were educated to some degree in under- gramme is being developed to train trainers port from the Netherlands through the DSO standing bacterial wilt. In the new project, in the FFS style and to familiarize exten- project ‘Human Resource Development for researchers now tried to mobilize farming sion staff and farmers with the ‘learning- Science & Technological Capacity in communities. In visits to villages, they held by-doing’ principles. The project will Arthropod Science in Africa’ No.KE/91/ discussions with farmers and village develop a process to train extension staff as 955. leaders, provided guidance for a village- FFS Facilitators initially, and later on as based technician in bacterial wilt, and other Trainers of Facilitators who will be able to Contact: Head, Capacity Building, ICIPE, activities were designed to help farmers help introduce and implement IPM on a PO Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya diagnose bacterial wilt and to understand its larger scale elsewhere in the Fayoum. Par- Fax: +254 2 860110/803360 economic importance and how it might be ticipants are proving very enthusiastic
controlled. about the new participatory approach to training and there is very good support on The essential components of the control the ground. A Parable from Nepal strategy were: Contact: Janny Vos, CABI Bioscience, Just how well communities worked • Elimination of infected planting Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, together proved to be the crucial variable in material. The use of farmers' own seed Berks. SL5 7TA, UK the success or failure of a project for potato potatoes was prohibited. All stored Email: [email protected] wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum)integrated [ware] potatoes were removed from Fax: +44 1491 829123 management in the high hill country of the village and stores/storage materials
Nepal. disinfected. Potato is the most important vegetable crop • A three-year moratorium period with Training with an Holistic in Nepal, and ranks fourth as a food crop cereal crops grown in infected tradi- after rice, maize and wheat. It is grown Module Approach in East tional growing areas. No other solana- throughout the country, but it is of partic- Africa ceous crop was permitted during this ular significance in the higher regions, and period, but many new crops were The GTZ (Gesellschaft für Technische it is the staple crop above 2000 m. The high explored. Zusammenarbeit, Germany) IPM Horticul- hill pockets are also traditional areas of • A clean-seed potato multiplication ture Project for Eastern and Southern high-quality seed potato production for the programme. Africa, in collaboration with ICIPE, organ- rest of the country (supplying some 80% of ized a four-week hands-on IPM training its total needs), and this represents an • Roguing plants from self-sown important income source for farmers. How- course from 31 May to 25 June 1999. The potatoes. participants, with BSc or MSc degree or ever, with an average yield of only 13.54 t/ • Farmer education in causes, symptoms, equivalent qualifications, included ento- ha, Nepal has a far lower productivity for disease cycle, and management mologists, plant pathologists, agricultural this crop than many of its South Asian extension managers and agronomists from neighbours. Losses owing to pests and dis- methods of bacterial wilt. eases are a major cause of low yields, with national agricultural research and extension The restriction on growing potatoes for late blight (Phytophthora infestans), bacte- systems in Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, three years was undoubtedly a real chal- rial wilt and red ants (Dorylus orientalis) Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, lenge to these high hill farmers, for whom the three most important pests. Bacterial Zimbabwe, Namibia, Ethiopia, Ghana and potatoes are not only their staple but also a wilt was first identified in Nepal in the Sudan. major source of income. Yet the nature of Kathmandu valley in 1966 from where it the disease and the objectives set out for the The course integrated field and laboratory spread, at least partly through distribution project were such that 100% participation sessions with group assignments on indi- of diseased planting material, until it now wasjudgedtobenecessaryforittosuc- vidual crops, plenary sessions and informal occurs over a large part of the eastern, cen- ceed. The project addressed the difficulty lectures to cover complete crop cycles of tral and western hills. of imposing the draconian control measures selected vegetable crops. Emphasis was on The Lumle Agricultural Research Centre by seeking mass consensus to begin and by integrated pest (insect pests, diseases, (LARC) at Pokhara in Kaski has been stud- unifying the farming community of each weeds, nematodes etc.) and crop manage- ying the disease since 1987, and since 1990 village through a Cropping System ment, development of appropriate farmer has been developing IPM methods for its Improvement Committee (CSIC), which participatory vegetable IPM research pro- management. The prevalent race of bacte- was formed to represent the different strata grammes, participatory extension methods rial blight in this area has been identified as of political and social mores, wealth status and suitable field and laboratory diagnosis bio-var II or race 3, a variant identified as and ethnicity. A mass meeting was held in methods of insect pests and diseases of particularly virulent by the International each village at which the project implemen- selected vegetable crops. Potato Centre (CIP). A one-year village- tation was endorsed, and the CSIC was Although offered and co-ordinated by based project for its management was empowered with both responsibilities and ICIPE scientists, the course benefitted implemented in two villages in Kaski in authority for enforcing rules and regula- greatly from input by invited specialists 1990, with striking success in one that fol- tions in the project. Subsequent training, 122N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4 national-level workshops and in-country At Jhilibrang, the community remained four years the average time span in Jhili- tours gave the CSIC members more experi- united. A handful of households tried to brang, and the replacement stock needs to ence of research and development activities break the moratorium on potato planting be free of disease. To circumvent the related to potato in Nepal. but this was resolved. In 1997, potatoes problem, the project was extended for an were grown again in accordance with the extra year until June 1998 so that farmers There was full endorsement of the project project design, and bacterial wilt symptoms could be trained in technologies associated in both villages in the first year and, with were recorded only twice: in two small with disease-free seed production using what must have been a great deal of faith, plots of land wilting was recorded in a local mainly pre-basic seed and true potato seed farmers did not plant their staple food. variety and NPI/T0012, possibly from as source seed material. imported, diseased seed. The same varieties What happened next proved to be very dif- The LARC/UPWARD joint experience ferent in the two villages, with complete in adjoining plots were unaffected. Potatoes from the affected land were all consumed, during this project, mirroring the experi- breakdown of the project occurring in one ence of the previous one-year project, was of them. Whilst this must have been a bitter and the ground drenched with 5% formalin and covered with a plastic sheet for 72 h. that the overriding difficulty was in man- disappointment to those who strove hard to aging the communities. In view of the make the project work, ironically, the very The subsequent crop was free of bacterial wilt. problems encountered, it is perhaps com- contrasting fortunes of the two villages may mendable that both projects sustained what serve as a parable for future projects. The Other positive outcomes at Jhilibrang proved to be the highly effective participa- results are also a reminder of the impor- included the successful cultivation of two tion of one out of their two villages. LARC tance of the human factor in agricultural varieties of cold tolerant rice and fresh veg- comment that future projects need to take research and development. etables. Initially there were severe weed account of the level of commitment problems in rice crops. Manual weeding required of the participants, and the need In Ulleri, differences, mostly inter-per- and butachlor were tried, but the efficacy of for support programmes to make participa- sonal, grew and the necessary level of the herbicide was found to be very tion both more attractive and more participation could not be sustained. The dependent on soil moisture. However, participatory. CSIC split into two groups and became less training in manual weeding and harrowing functional. Eventually it became incapable by experts from an upland rice cultivation Source: Ghimire, S.R.; Dhital, B.K. (1998) Community approach to the management of enforcing the regulations, the morato- area helped to reduce weeding costs. Rice of bacterial wilt of potato in the hills of rium on potato planting was broken and the cultivation has since become popular Nepal: a project terminal report. project was abandoned. In 1997, wilting of among the Jhilibrang villagers, who now LARC Occasional Paper No. 98/1, 22 pp. potatoes was observed in many farmers’ produce their own minimum rice needs Lumle Agricultural Research Centre, fields and incidence levels of up to 50% rather than bartering potatoes for it. POBox1,Pokhara,KaskiDistrict,Nepal were recorded. Wilt incidence was even Management of disease free seed remained Fax: +977 61 22653 higher, however, at a non-participating a concern. Potato seed stock needs to be village. replaced every one to five years, with three/

Internet Round-up

By: Tony Little, Technical Support Group on one natural enemy taxon under condi- (Environmental Protection Agency) post to the Global IPM Facility, CABI tions described in the source publication. their data requirements at Bioscience. Koppert’s database can be found at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ This issue, we look at web resources for fifra6a2.htm pesticide side-effects on non-target organ- http://www.koppert.nl/english/service/ isms, and there are two very useful index.html which while not exactly a riveting read databases available: is a useful resource. and you need to go through a simple regis- SELCTV at: tration process the first time you use it. This Over the past few years OECD have been http://www.ent3.orst.edu/Phosure/data- database contains information about the harmonizing the regulations for their base/selctv/selctv.htm side effects of pesticides on natural enemies member countries and the fruits of their and bumblebees. The information should efforts can be seen at is a database of pesticide impacts on non- be regarded as a guideline for the use of target arthropod natural enemies, and pesticides in combination with natural ene- http://www.oecd.org/ehs/pest_tg.htm includes a bibliographic database from mies and bumblebees under field which the data was sourced. Its develop- The International Organization for Biolog- conditions. The information is based on ical Control (IOBC) has a Working Group ment began in 1986/87 in the Department results from the IOBC Working Group of Entomology at Oregon State University, on pesticides and beneficial organisms. 'Pesticides and Beneficial Organisms' and Considering the crucial contribution it has Corvallis (Oregon, USA.). The database various research institutes. More than one represents a relatively comprehensive com- made to the study of pesticide side effects, hundred scientific publications were and the fact that they developed the test pilation of the worldwide published included in the comparative literature literature, from approximately 12,500 data procedures now adopted by several govern- study. Much of the data was also derived ments across the globe, their website, at: records describing pesticide effects on non- from Koppert’s own research and the target arthropods from 1921 to 1994, experiences. http://iobc.ethz.ch/ although almost all originate from the pre- 1986 literature. Each record in the principal In terms of the implications of pesticide is surprisingly modest, but does give you table represents one screening of a pesticide side-effects for registration, the US EPA contact details for further information. News 123N

Announcements

Are you producing a newsletter, holding a (European Biological Control Laboratory standards and other documents for public meeting, running an organization or (USDA/EBCL, France) and the Institut consultation, lists of quarantine pests for rearing a natural enemy that you want National de la Recherche Agronomique countries of the region, pest data sheets, other biocontrol workers to know about? (INRA, France)). methods for risk analysis and pest diagnosis/ Send us the details and we will announce it identification, and technical publications. A in BNI. More information is available at: Phytosanitary Forum gives participants an http://www.icipe.org/germplasm/htm
opportunity to discuss phytosanitary mat- or from the Director General, International ters. There are also extensive links to Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology organizations and institutions within and Arthropod Pathogen (ICIPE), PO Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya beyond the region involved in plant protec- Germplasm Centre at Email: [email protected] tion and risk analysis, and to other relevant Fax: +254 2 860110/803360 ICIPE web-based resources. or Jean Nguya K. Maniania The International Centre of Insect Physi- [email: [email protected] / Elisabeth Contact: Elizabeth De Nardo, Quarantine ology and Ecology (ICIPE) based in Ouna [email: [email protected]] Laboratory, EMBRAPA, Nairobi, Kenya, conducts mission-oriented
Rodovia SP 340 km 127,5, research on sustainable strategies for the CEP 13820-000, Jaguariúna/SP, Brazil management of arthropod plant pests and Email: [email protected] disease vectors. As part of its on-going COSAVE Sets Out Fax: +55 19 867 8740 research activities, ICIPE has recently Priorities
established a Germplasm Centre to act as a repository of arthropod pathogens (fungi, The Southern Cone Plant Protection Com- mittee (Comité de Sanidad Vegetal del bacteria and protozoa) for use against a IOBC Biocontrol Agent wide range of target pests, including locusts Cono Sur – COSAVE) is a Regional Plant Rearing Website and grasshoppers. These pathogens will be Protection Organization (RPPO) estab- made available upon request to investiga- lished in 1989 within the framework of the tors in other institutions. The activities of International Plant Protection Convention The IOBC Global Working Group on the Centre include isolation, culture, identi- (IPPC), through an agreement among the Arthropod Mass Rearing and Quality Con- fication, and preservation. Samples from governments of its member countries trol (WGAMRQC) has now established a Africa and elsewhere are welcome for (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and website (http://www.amrqc.org) to facili- inclusion in the collection. Uruguay). One of the goals of COSAVE is tate and advance cost-effective rearing of to coordinate biological control activities high-quality insects and other arthropods in Depositors will be asked to supply the fol- within the region. In accordance with this, support of biological control and integrated lowing information: the Biological Control Permanent Working pest management. Group of COSAVE has determined priori- • Scientific name of the microorganism ties for pests to be targeted in order to speed The site includes a history of the Working (if known) the development of biocontrol technologies Group, with summaries of its many work- shops and assessments of its achievements • Host source of isolation: order, family, and has established a list of biological con- over the years. There is a reference data- genus, species (if known) trol agents used within countries of the region. base for access to literature on insect • Date of collection and date of isolation rearing and quality control, plus quality The Working Group first established the control tests and standards, and quality con- • Collection location (town/province/ main pests for each COSAVE country and trol guidelines for more than 20 natural state/country/climate) the biological control technologies cur- enemies. rently available for them. A technical report • Depositor’s reference number (if has now been produced, which is organized On-line access to the IOBC WGAMRQC available) as a series of tables, each of which deals workshop proceedings is under construc- tion. FRASS, the Insect Rearing Newsletter •Nameofisolator with a crop important to three or more countries (23 crops in all). A preliminary will also be available on-line in the near • Address, telephone number and address list of the main pests for each crop has been future. It contains a useful and eclectic mix of collector, isolator, or depositor drawn up; countries in which the pest is of serious articles and lighthearted enter- considered important are listed, together tainment. There is also a listing of links to The project is funded by USAID’s Africa with the status of biological control for the related websites. Bureau and is managed and implemented pest in that country and biocontrol agents by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State that either have been used or are under Contact: Don Nordlund, Research Leader, University (USA) with seven other consor- study. The list will be updated periodically. USDA, REE, ARS, MSA, Biological tium partners in Africa (Desert Locust Control and Mass Rearing Research Unit, Control Organization for Eastern Africa More about COSAVE can now be accessed PO Box 5367, Mississippi State, (DLCO-EA), Direction de la Protection des on their website at: MS 39762-5367, USA Végétaux (DPV/Senegal), Locustox (Sen- http://www.cosave.org.py/baseing.htm Email: [email protected] egal), International Centre of Insect This site includes a wide range of informa- Fax: +1 662 320 7571 Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE, Kenya)), tion about the structure and activities of the the USA (ACDI/VOCA), and Europe organization. Products available include
124N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4

Conference Reports

East Africa Invasives for donors in establishing sustainable inva- Conservation Union (IUCN), CAB Interna- Workshop sive species programmes. Vishnu Tezoo (& tional, the Kenya Wildlife Service, Yousoof Mungroo) (Mauritius National EAFRINET, and Makerere University of A regional workshop on ‘Invasive Species Parks and Conservation Service) described Uganda) acknowledge financial support in East Africa’ was held on 5-6 July 1999 at a variety of approaches taken in Mauritius, from the United Nations Environment Pro- ICIPE in Nairobi to raise awareness on the an island with long experience of invasive gramme (UNEP) and the International status of invasive species in the region. The species, including the active removal and Development Research Centre (IDRC) for workshop focused on Ethiopia, Kenya, continued exclusion of invasive species funding the workshop. Support was also Tanzania and Uganda, was attended by 70 from a set of small reserves on the island. received from CAB International, the people from 41 national and governmental Timothy Twongo (Fisheries Research National Museums of Kenya, Kenya Air- bodies, institutions, organizations and busi- Institute of Uganda) described the impact ways, South Africa Airways and Air nesses involved in conservation, land and control options for plant and animal Mauritius. management, biodiversity, GIS, research, invaders in aquatic habitats. Geoffrey agriculture and education. A full account of Mungai (National Museums of Kenya;
the workshop can be found at: NMK) described how herbarium records http://www.icipe.org/invasive/default.cfm can be used to track both recent and histor- ical movement of invasive plant species. Plant Protection in On the first day of the workshop, Hans Jerusalem Herren, Director General of ICIPE, wel- Waweru Gitonga (Kenya Agricultural comed the participants. Scott Miller in his Research Institute; KARI) described efforts The XIVth International Plant Protection introductory remarks considered the rele- to control invasive aquatic weeds, Conference (IPPC) was held in Jerusalem, vance of international treaties and including preemptive efforts, obtaining Israel on the 25-29 July 1999 under the conventions to the control of invasive spe- biological control agents for aquatic weeds motto: ‘Plant protection towards the third cies. Jeff Waage (Head of Biological Pest that not yet in Kenya but have been inva- millennium – where chemistry meets Management for CAB International Bio- sive problems elsewhere. Josephine Songa ecology’. More than 1000 scientists, plant science, UK and on the Executive (& William Overholt, ICIPE) described the protection professionals and administrators Committee of the Global Invasive Species ecology and dispersal of an agricultural attended six plenary lectures and partici- Programme, GISP) described the global invasive pest, the stem borer, Chilo patedin25symposia,28workshopsand13 nature of the invasive species problem, the patellus, providing insight into how non- poster discussion sessions covering a wide challenges presented by invasive species to agricultural alien insect pests might invade array of topics in diverse field such as bio- national, regional and global ecosystems an area. logical control of arthropods, weeds and and political/economic systems, and the Richard Bagine moderated a session in diseases, theory and application of inte- possible role of GISP. He later described which country-based working groups dis- grated pest management, utilization of the two toolkits and associated case studies cussed the status of invasive species within biotechnology in pest control, pest resist- under preparation by GISP members. One protected areas and which ecosystems were ance, crop resistance, genetic engineering, toolkit will provide strategies and a data- most vulnerable to invasive species. Pres- novel approaches in pesticides and pesti- base as part of an early warning system, entations of the outcomes showed striking cide technology, the sterile insect while the other will provide strategies for similarities among the countries in pointing technique, precision farming and regula- developing national policies in the area of out that, both in protected areas and else- tory issues in plant protection. invasive species. where, there was a need for more Moving on to national programmes and information and research on invasive spe- Biological control was dealt with in the case studies, Wilson Songa (Kenya Plant cies, for more capacity building at several broadest sense. Several symposia discussed Health Inspectorate Service) described levels, for better national and regional the more theoretical contributions to bio- legal and policy aspects of invasive species policy and associated enforcement, and logical control. Topics dealt with included from the perspective of the Kenyan quaran- underlying all of the other needs, a need for the concept of greenhouses as islands, tine system, and Okaasai Opolot (Ugandan more funding and government commit- insect behavior and communication as a Phytosanitary and Quarantine Services) ment to controlling invasive species. source for pest and natural enemy manipu- commented on the Ugandan experience. During the final session, attention was lation and improvement, and the utilization Christo Marais described how South Africa of plant characteristics for improved bio- focused on shaping future efforts to control had started the Working for Water Pro- logical control. Posters and lectures were invasive species in East Africa. Four gramme having determined the high cost of presented concerning practical topics such working groups were assembled and a brief water-consuming invasive plants in the dry as mass rearing and release of beneficials, report was presented for each: The Role of Cape regions. This programme not only EAFRINET in the Fight Against Invasive implementation and evaluation of biolog- reduces the damage done by invasive spe- ical control in practice, the integration of Species; Strengthening Research and cies, but also, because it employs people biocontrol into protected agriculture and Research Links on Invasive Species; Coor- from impoverished communities, helps to the conservation of natural enemies. The dinating Regional Efforts to Control alleviate poverty and empower communi- integration of chemical and biological con- Invasive Species; and Capacity Building ties. Victor Kasulo (York University, UK and Implementation in Invasive Species trol was also dealt with, and included & Malawi) described some of the economic probes into the use of new or less harmful Programmes. and social costs of invasive species, incen- insecticides, novel and better application tives for changing individual and ICIPE and its workshop co-sponsors (the methods, and the preservation of natural institutional behavior, and possible roles National Museums of Kenya, the World enemies. News 125N

The congress honoured the memory of the in Latin America – status of field trials (K. results of thoroughly conducted experi- late Professor D. Rosen, a leading figure in P.Hebbar,S.Lambert,U.Krauss&W. ments are a valuable source of infor- the science of biological control, who was Soberanis); (5) Classical biological control mation and should be reported. instrumental in electing Jerusalem as the (H. Evans); (6) Isolation of native fungal site of the current congress and passed and bacterial antagonists against plant dis- • The diversity of pathogen species must away while chairing the organizing com- eases (U. Krauss & E. Bustamante); (7) be considered when developing mittee. The opening plenary lecture entitled Fungal endophytes of tropical trees: biocontrol agents. Phytophthora spp. ‘The David Rosen Memorial Lecture, Bio- methods and potential for biological con- are known to be highly diverse but for logical Control of Citrus’ was given by trol of fungal pathogens of cocoa (B. other pathogens this phenomenon is Marjorie Hoy from the University of Arnold); (8) A preliminary study of cocoa- still under-investigated and often Florida, USA on Sunday 25 July. associated microorganisms (K. P. Hebbar); overlooked. (9) Pre-screening of biocontrol agents with The ‘International Association of Plant • Mixtures of pathogen strains should be emphasis on bioassays (U. Krauss); (10) Protection Sciences’ (IAPPS) was inaugu- employed to develop mixtures of antag- Fermentation and formulation of biocontrol rated during the Congress. IAPPS will onist strains. This should increase the agents (K. P. Hebbar); (11) Spray applica- become a permanent multi-disciplinary chance that they are active against tion of biopesticides to perennial crops (R. association under which future IPPCs will pathogen populations under a range of Bateman); (12) Diversity of Phytophthora convene. Beijing, People’s Republic of environmental conditions. Thus they species causing black pod disease of cocoa China, has been elected as site for the XVth may function better than a single-strain and implications for effective biocontrol IPPC in 2003. biocontrol inoculum. (A. Appiah, J. Flood, P. Bridge & S. By: D. Gerling, Dept of Zoology, Archer); (13) The use of antagonist mix- • There is an urgent need to investigate Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel tures in biocontrol (U. Krauss); (14) the epidemiology of antagonist– And: Y. Rossler, Biological Control Inst., Statistical considerations in scientific pathogen–host interactions taking Citrus Marketing Board of Israel, experimentation (C. Kleinn); and (15) environmental factors into account. Bet-Dagan, Israel Technology transfer and rural development • Promising biocontrol candidates have
(R. Mack & L. Rodríguez). Group discus- sions dealt with: (1) Practical notes on work been obtained using the ‘classical with Phytophthora species (S. Bharath, W. biocontrol’ approach, which searches Methodology Workshop Phillips, A. Appiah, H. Evans & U. for co-evolved antagonists in the centre on Biocontrol of Plant Krauss); (2) Diversity of Crinipellis and of origin, by baiting for indigenous Diseases Moniliophthora species (H. Evans & W. epiphytes and mycoparasites and by Phillips); and (3) Safety issues and regula- isolating endophytes which may be This workshop took place in CATIE tions for initiating a biocontrol project. particularly useful against pathogens (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investi- Requirements for setting-up a biocontrol with an obligate parasitic phase. gación y Educación), Costa Rica from 28 facility(R.D.Lumsden,U.Krauss,K.P. • Evaluate biocontrol candidates for their June to 4 July 1999. It was jointly organized Hebbar, H. Evans, & B. Arnold). and sponsored by CABI Bioscience, activities using target species in CATIE and the US Department of Agricul- A two-day field trip included visits to (1) bioassays, rather than using in vitro ture. Thirty-three participants and La Lola Experimental Station to see two screens. Confronting the pathogen facilitators from ten countries attended: biocontrol trials in cocoa against Phytoph- simultaneously with relatively low Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, thora palmivora and Moniliophthora (similar) concentrations of the antag- Ghana, Panama, Peru, Trinidad & Tobago, roreri, (2) an on-farm cocoa biocontrol trial onist under non-sterile conditions may UK and USA. The objective of this work- in Talamanca, (3) the Asociación de provide the strictest and best selection shop was to provide, discuss and develop Pequeños Productrores de Talamanca procedure. It should be preferred to sound research methodologies for biocon- (APPTA) and their post-harvest facilities lenient pre-screens. trol of plant diseases and to encourage for organic cocoa, (4) Plantanera Río Six- • Pilot fermentation and formulation increased coordination and communication aola environmentally friendly and fair- facilities should be set up as soon as between different research groups involved trade banana plantation with a stop at a port possible because they are often limiting in biocontrol. The main target groups were to appreciate the necessity of infrastructure, factors for field trials. Quality control is junior researchers and technical staff and (5) a rural biocontrol fermentation of absolutely essential. involved in the practical aspects of biocon- entomopathogenic fungi. trol and integrated disease management in The workshop came to the following con- • Within the holistic concept of ‘delivery cocoa. The emphasis was on biocontrol of clusions and recommendation: systems’, application technology must fungal diseases, principally frosty pod be considered simultaneously. More • In general, the experiences gained from (Moniliophthora roreri), black pod (Phy- attention should be paid to oil-based field trials support the conclusions that tophthora palmivora and P. megakarya) formulations. and witches’ broom (Crinipellis there is a high potential for biocontrol perniciosa). agents to assist management of certain • First field trials should be initiated as fungal diseases of cocoa that are early as possible and then expanded if The programme included lectures and prac- presently unmanageable using available results are favourable. Researcher- ticals on: (1) Overview of cocoa diseases control methodologies. Gradual scaling- managed trials on experimental stations, and methods for identification (H. Purdy); up of research effort and developing and participatory and grower-managed (2) Production of zoospores of Phytoph- suitable strategies might offer the route trials on-farm serve different purposes thora and field inoculation methods for to effective uses of biocontrol agents. and should be used accordingly. fungal pathogens (J. Castillo, M. Gonzáles, W. Phillips & S. Bharath); (3) Mechanisms • Existing literature should be re-read • Trial results can only be as good as their of actions of biocontrol agents (R. D. carefully and critically. Co-ordinate experimental design, data collection, Lumsden); (4) Biocontrol of cocoa diseases with others in your field. Negative statistically correct analysis and inter- 126N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4

pretation. Randomization and the repli- By: Dr Ulrike Krauss, CABI-CATIE many national programmes. Most pesticide cation of treatments must be considered Project, CATIE, 7170 Turrialba, use in Sweden is destined for timber pro- in relation to the variability of cocoa Costa Rica duction and preservation, given the production within a field and over time. Email: [email protected] country’s important forestry sector. Their It is often more realistic to include Fax +506 556 0606 national risk reduction programme has border trees in trial plots because a large
reduced usage by 75% since 1987 through proportion of a smallholder’s cocoa is a switch to safer active ingredients, safer encountered in border rows. handling and mandatory user training and Pesticide Reduction certification, along with decreased use. For Workshop • Implementation and adoption of example, all Swedish farmers must now measure temperature, wind speed and biocontrol by farmers and industry is The PAN Europe workshop, Pesticide direction before spraying, in order to pro- best achieved by involving growers’ Reduction – Time for Action was held in tect buffer zones. The Finnish programme organizations, extensionists and Hamburg, Germany on 30 September - 2 includes thresholds and forecasting, testing industry at an early stage to initiate a October 1999. Pesticides Action Network of spray equipment, safe use training, pro- participatory development. Gradual (PAN) Europe is coordinated by an Execu- tective cultivation measures and impact improvement through R&D and tive Committee from PAN Germany, PAN monitoring.AtEUlevel,CAPAgenda Belgium, Pesticides Trust (UK), the Euro- continuous technology transfer lead to 2000 reform which could help reduce pesti- pean Public Health Alliance and the Dutch improved communication amongst all cide use and promote non-chemical NGO Stichting Natuur en Milieu, all of participants. alternatives includes integration of environ- which work on PAN issues in their respec- mental measures, promotion of organic tive countries. Europe-wide coordination • Biocontrol is not automatically safe and farming and agri-environment activities. was revived in 1998 with the appointment similar precautions as with chemicals Forthcoming changes in policy and legisla- of a PAN Europe Coordinator, based with should be taken. FAO guidelines and tion will also provide instruments at PAN Germany. This workshop was to national laws determine how to move member state and European level for pesti- cement coordination, particularly on EU biocontrol candidates within political cide reduction, for example, measures to (European Union) lobbying, and to discuss entities and across international borders. fast-track European registration of biopesti- a draft position paper for lobbying, cov- For biopesticides longer trial duration cides could promote the use of biological ering issues of pesticide reduction policies, than for chemicals are necessary to control. The working group on sustainable water and food residues, EU CAP assess the impact of the living organism agriculture discussed organic farming (Common Agricultural Policy) reform, on the environment, as well as people. experiences in Germany, CAP reform and human health, genetically modified crops, EU agricultural policy, IPM issues, and organic and ecological agriculture, pesti- Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) initia- The proceedings of the workshop were cide disposal inter alia. published as a course manual: tives with supermarkets. Krauss, U.; Hebbar, K (1999) Research The workshop started by group discussion The workshop adopted a 13 point position methodology in biocontrol of plant diseases on the role of NGOs in European pesticide paper and efforts will be made to increase with special reference to fungal diseases of policy. Over 40 people attended from PAN Europe profile in Brussels, although cocoa. CABI Bioscience, CATIE & NGOs and governmental organizations, support for eastern European countries’ USDA, Turrialba. 159 pp. mainly from northern European countries, activities is also necessary. Current Europe- The manual can be consulted in the fol- but there were also delegations from the wide pesticide campaigning will focus on lin- lowing libraries: CABI Bioscience: UK Ukraine and Poland. Elizabeth Salter from WWF-UK summarized current issues con- dane and dichlorvos bans, the EU Water Centres in Ascot and Egham, the Caribbean Framework Directive and pesticide reduction. Regional Centre, Curepe, Trinidad & cerning endocrine-disrupting compounds Tobago and the African Regional Centre in (EDCs) and their undermining of basic eco- Copies of the workshop presentations, Nairobi, Kenya; CATIE, Turrialba, Costa system functioning, compounded by their briefings and position paper can be Rica and CATIE-MIP, Nicaragua; CIRAD, persistence and bioaccumulation. In addi- obtained from: Montpellier, France; Cocoa Research Insti- tion to the well-known pesticide EDCs Heike Schmitt, PAN Europe Coordinator, tute of Ghana, Tafo, Ghana; Cocoa such as DDT and aldrin, which are also c/o PAN Germany, Nernstweg 32, Research Unit, Trinidad & Tobago; Darwin among the Persistent Organic Pollutants 22765 Hamburg, Germany Library, Edinburgh University, UK; Insti- (POPs), she highlighted the need to focus Email: [email protected] tuto de Investigación Agropecuaria de on others such as the herbicide atrazine and Fax: +49 40 390 75.20 Panamá, Panama City; Scottish Agricul- several synthetic pyrethroids, which can By: Stephanie Williamson, tural College, Auchincruve and Edinburgh, disrupt fresh water ecosystems. Gerd CABI Bioscience UK Centre (Ascot). UK; Smithsonian Tropical Research Insti- Winter from the University of Bremen out- tute, Barro Colorado Island, Republic of lined pathways for NGOs to influence
Panama; Universidad de Panamá, Panama European Commission legislation on pesti- cides via relevant directives on market City, Panama; Universidad Nacional Weeds at Bozeman Agraria de la Selva, Tingo María, Peru; harmonization, environmental protection and agriculture. Universidad Nacional La Molina, Biblio- The Xth International Symposium on Bio- teca de la Especialidad de Fitopatología, Government officers from Denmark, logical Control of Weeds was held at Lima, Peru; University of the West Indies, Sweden and Finland reviewed their Montana State University, Bozeman, Mon- St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago; and national pesticide reduction programmes. tana, USA, 4-9 July 1999. The meeting was USDA National Agricultural Library, The Danish programme achieved the target co-sponsored by the United States Depart- Beltsville, USA. A few copies are still 50% reduction in usage by 1997, however ment of Agriculture – Agricultural available upon request, for public libraries shifts towards lower dose products meant Research Service (USDA-ARS) and Mon- only. Developing countries will be given that there was little change in application tana State University, Bozeman, and the co- preference. frequency, an aspect of impact common to chairs, Bob Nowierski & Neal Spencer led News 127N a professional team who put together and The Sessions (and Session Leaders) were taining presentation on the career of each, ran the symposium. Most of this was done as follows: followed by a few words by each honoree, through the symposium website which was Success in Biological Control of Weeds and a presentation. used for the discussion, planning and (Rachel McFadyen) administration of the development of the Biological Control of Weeds-Failures Almost inevitably, at times the North conference programme, registration, sub- (Judy Myers) American interests dominated the agenda mission of abstracts and papers, etc. The Role of Molecular Biology in Biological and discussion. Similarly entomological meeting programme, list of participants Control (David Kazmer) expertise tended to dominate, and the use of (including the facility to send e-mails to the Weeds of Aquatic Systems and Wetlands fungi, at least as classical biological control participants), etc., will remain available on (Ted Center) agents, was under-represented. This was the Symposium website: Safety of Biological Control: What More particularly true in the session on host-spe- http://www.symposium.ars.usda.gov/ Can We Do? (Ernest (Del) Delfosse) cificity; hopefully this will be redressed at so check it out if you want the details. Ecological Principles of Biological Control the next Symposium which will be hosted Introduction: (Rob Bourchier) The meeting had over 280 registered partic- by CSIRO and held in Canberra in April Host Selection & Specificity (Roy Van Dri- ipants, and stretched the capacity of the 2003. esche) meeting venue. A large number of high Post Release & Impact Studies (Eric quality posters were presented in sessions All in all, the organizers are to be congratu- Coombs) held over the extended lunch breaks, but lated on an efficiently run meeting and as Plant Pathogen/Microbe/ Insect Interaction being placed in a rather cramped adjacent always it provided a great opportunity for (Tony Caesar) building, they may not have got the atten- the still relatively small world of weed bio- Negative Economic and Ecological Impact tion they deserved. Just over half the logical control to meet, discuss and get to of Invasive Weeds (Robert Pemberton) registered participants were from the USA, know each other better. Complications in the Implementation of but Australia, CABI (UK and Switzerland), Weed Biocontrol (John Hoffmann) Canada, New Zealand and South Africa all By: Matthew Cock, CABI Bioscience had strong groups, with a sprinkling of par- The symposium featured three honorees: UK Centre (Ascot) ticipants from other countries around the Lloyd Andres, Peter Harris and Dieter World. Schroeder. A colleague gave a short enter-
128N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 4