WIRISIIOP 81; 1IJATIC' W11" MANA [H IIT Bsiitis| Ii
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Iutiss l Aadey if st \ WIRISIIOP 81; 1IJATIC' W11" MANA [H IIT bsiitis| ii "Some Pro e frn Weeduu"atic M... AWAgt in,G*uyana,," 1/7// - 70 NATIONAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL OF GUYANA AND NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, U.S.A., Workshop on Aquatic Weed Management and Utilisalion 'Some Prospects for Aquatic Weed Management in Guyana"' GEORGETOWN, GUYANA, MARCH 15 - 17 1973 NATIONAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL PANEL D.H. Irvine Chairman, NSRC Vice-Chancellor,University of Guyana Georgetown, Guyana J.F. Bates Bookers SugarEstatesLtd. Georgetown, Guyana H.A.D. Chesney Ministry of NationalDevelopment & Agriculture Government of Guyana Georgetown, Guyana A.V. Downer CentralAgriculturalStation Mon Repos, Guyana C. Edwards Ministry ofNationalDevelopment & Agriculture Government of Guyana Georgetown, Guyana P. Fernandes Ministry ofNationalDevelopment & Agriculture Government of Guyana Georgetown, Guyana U.P. Gibson Guyana Water Authority Georgetown, Guyana H. Harricharan Livestock ProjectDivision Bank of Guyana Georgetown, Guyana W. Hernandez Allied Mills Inc. Trinidad, West Indies N. Holder Ministry ofNationalDevelopment & Agriculture Government of Guyana Georgetown, Guyana (continuedoverleaf) NATIONAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL PANEL (continuedfrom oveleaf) D. Jaigoo Ministry of NationalDevelopment &Agriculture Govermnent of Guyana Georgetown, Guyana C. Mahadeo Bookers SugarEstatesLtd, Georgetown, Guyana J. McCalmon FisheriesDivision 1, Lombard Street, Georgetown, Guyana J.J. Niles University of Guyana Georgetown, Guyana Oinawale University of Guyana Georgetown, Guyana P. Robinson Bookert,SugarEstatesLtd Georgetown, Guyana F.M. Schneidersmann CIBA - GEIGY Georgetown, Guyana S. Sheriff DiamondEstate East Btnk, Guyana C. Veerasanmy GuyanaStockfeeds Ltd. Georgetown, Guyana V. Young-Kong GuyanaSugarExperimentStation Georgetown, Guyana Mrs. Viola Burnham NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES PANEL Gerard A. Rohlich Chairman Departmentof Civil Engineerirg University of Texcis Austin, Texas Larry 0. Bagnall Department of AgriculturalEngineering Univeristy :,Florida Gainesville, Florida Fred D. Bennett Entomologist-in-Charge Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control Curepe, Trinidad, West Indies Daniel S. Hartman Crystal River, Florida James Hentges Departmentof Animal Science University of Florida Gainesville, Florida Donald F. Livermore Departmentof MechanicalEngineering University of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin Richard R. Yeo Departmentof Botany University of California Davis, California Noel D. Vietmeyer Staff Study Director ProfessionalAssociate Boardon Science & Technology for InternationalDevelopment Office of the Foreign Secretary National Academy of Sciences Washington, DC. Rose Ameser Staff Officer Boardon Science & Technology for InternationalDevelopment Office of the Foreign Secretary National Academy of Sciences Washington, D.C. Vernon Myers Adviser Aquatic Weed Control,FloridaGame andFresh Water.Fish Commission Lakeland, Florida TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ................................................ vii CHAPTER 1. PRINCIPLES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............... I Principles ....................................... 1 Recommendation 1. Continuing Committee on Aquatic Weed Management ..................... 2 Recommendation 2. Action to Restrict Introduction of Foreign Aquatic Weeds and the Spread of Weeds Already Present ................... 2 Recommendation 3. Utilisation of Processed and Unprocessed Aquatic Weeds .................... 2 Recommendation 4.. Trials with Herbivorous Fish .......... 3 Recommendation 5. Manatees ........................ 4 Recommendation 6. Biological Control .................. 5 Recommendation 7. Chemical Coitrol .................. 6 Recommendation 8. Aquatic Weeds and Hydroelectricity Development ..................... 6 'CHAPTER 2. BACKGROUND ................................... 8 Aquatic Weeds Found in Guyana ......................... 8 Aquatic Weeds and Navigation ................ 10 Aquatic Weeds and Drainage ........................... 10 Aquatic Weeds and Agriculture ............... 11I ......... Aquatic Weeds and Fisheries ............... ............11 Aquatic Weeds and Public Health ........ ........' 12 CHAPTER 3. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AQUATIC PLANTS.. 13 Chemical Composition ........................ o...... 13 Productivity of Aquatic Plants . ....... 14 CHAPTER 4. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL.........................16 Fish............. ......................... 16 Manatees .................. ...................... 17 OtherVertebrates ................. .............19 Insects.. .19 Snails..................... ................. 2 Pathogens ........... 20 Competitive Displacement 21 CHAPTER 5. CHEMICAL CONTROL .................22 CHAPTER 6. AQUATIC WEED UTILISATION ................. 24 Processing .................... ........... 24 CHAPTER 7. DEWATERED AQUATIC WEEDS AS ANIMAL FEED.....27 Preservation of Aquatic Plants as Silage ................... 27 Potential Toxicity of Aquatic Plants as Feed for Livestock ....... 28 Utilisation of Artificially Dried Aquatic Plants inLivestock Dits... 28 Other Livestock ................. ................. 29 CHAPTER 8. AQUATIC WEEDS AS SOIL ADDITIVES ............. 30 [NTRODUCTION W.S. Bates; and the A three-day workshop on the Management and British lfigm Cctntinsioner, Mr. - General lose da Cunha Ltilisation of Aquatic Plants was held in Georgetown, Ambassador oi Braiil, Brig. March 15 - 17, 1973,to formulate recommendations Garcia. iddressed to one of Guyana's critical problems At the conclusion of the workshop, practical the weeds that infest the nation's waterways. demonstrations were held at the Bel Air Dairies on of Jointly sponsored by the National Science Research the outskirts of Georgetown. Demonstrations Council of Guyana (NSRC) and the National Academy methods for harvesting water plants included the to walk on of Sciences of the United States (NAS), the workshop use of plastic shoes that permit one was charged to develop recommendations for water. Also, a press designed by Dr. Larry Bagnall, implementation by local authorities to: one of the NAS panelists, was used to remove the first step in 1. deal with the aquatic weed problem, moisture from water hyacinth, soil additives. Sub particularly by utilising the vegetation as producing animal feeds and cake was fed to cows, and also a resource for products, such as animal sequently, the press into hay. feeds and soil additives, needed by Guyana; made 2. develop outlines of integrated systems of The demonstrations were attended by the Prime aquatic weed management in Guyana using Minister and his family, Dr. Reid, Mr. King, Mr. biological, physical, and chemical methods. Hamer, a representative from the World Bank, and numerous Guyanese engineers and agriculturalists. An excellent keynote address, which officially opened the deliberations of the workshop, was given Arrangements were made for the U.S. panelists to by the Prime Minister of Guyana, Mr. L.F.S. to visit a sugar estate, the Botanic Gardens Burnham, O.E., S.C. He stated that his main interest observe manatees, an agricultural research station, Company in the workshop was in the uses to which aquatic and a dairy farm. In addition, the Bookers give the plants could be put in Guyana. Noting that the arranged for flights in a small plane to and workshop was being sponsored jointly by the National panelists an overview of the waterway systems Science Research Council of Guyana and the National aquatic weed problems in the East Demerara area. of the United States, the Academy of Sciences expectation this was the type of This report is published with the Prime Minister said that and recommendations government welcomed at all times that the observations, findings, collaboration his Guyana, and sharing of knowledge will be of value to a wide audience in for it presented an unselfish in developing of mankind, to planners, agriculturalists, and others for the improvement countries worldwide who are faced with aquatic A number of distinguished observers attended the weed problems. opening of the workshop including Mrs. Burnham, activity. the wife of the Prime Minister; the Deputy Prime This is the first cooperative NSRC-NAS interest, Minister and Minister of National Development and In 1972 Dr. Reid indicated to USAID his Agriculture, Dr. Ptolemy A. Reid; the Ambassador and that of the Government, in applying the latest to of the United States, Mr. Spencer M. King; the scientific and technical knowledge to convert Director of the United States Agency for International useful products the large amount of vegetation of Guyana Development Mi,ion, Mr. Robert C. Hamei; the clogging Guyana's waterways. The NSRC vii and USAID in turn requested NAS support to staff of the National Academy of Sciences who review the current knowledge of processing aquatic helped with the coordination of the workshop, and vegetation and to recommend programmes suitable to the workshop participants whose deliberations for Guyana. were the essence of the meeting.* Support for the ortanisation and facilities of the Assistance in preparing the final report was given workshop was provided by the NSRC. Participation ty members of both panels and by the rapporteurs of the Academy panel members and staff support of the working groups. Final preparation of the was made possible through assistance from the report was the responsibility of the NSRC. Office of Science and Technology, Technical Assistance Bureau, AID, Washington. The generous support from these organisations is greatly appreciated.