News 27N

General News

Island-Hopping being reported, and M. hirsutus within the trol is playing a part in slowing its spread, as USA is still confined to an 11 square mile 80% of newly reported M. hirsutus infesta- There are now two pests threat- (ca. 28 km²) area of this county. In Cali- tions are already attacked by the exotic ening the and surrounding fornia, field studies are being conducted to natural enemies. By suppressing populations regions [see BNI 19(3), 72N (September determine the impact of the introduced of the invading mealybug, the natural ene- 1998)]: hirsutus (the agents, and further releases will be made mies are preventing an explosive advance or pink hibiscus mealybug – HMB when evening temperatures rise above a towards the western end of the island. Both or PHMB) and the more-recently arrived threshold of 45°F (7.2°C) in spring 2000. A A. kamali and G. indica have been released (papaya mealybug). local insectary operation is being estab- by USDA in all the above countries; A. Here we give an update on biocontrol pro- lished, but until it is functional, agents for kamali is the dominant species. grammes against these two pests. release will continue to be available from  the rearing facility in St Thomas, US Virgin Training, technology transfer and clear plan- Islands. ning procedures are crucial to the success of Rapid Response to M. hirsutus control programmes, and early In Belize, the Pink Hibiscus Mealybug identification of the infestation is important, Mealybug Invader (PHMB) Control Programme introduced C. before it spreads. The rapid deployment of montrouzieri from a commercial source in natural enemies in affected countries has The ability to identify pest mealybugs and the USA in October. Releases of A. kamali readiness to react are key elements of a been made possible through the high degree began the same month, through a coopera- of cooperation between stakeholder organi- proactive biological control programme for tive effort between the Belize Ministry of containing the spread of Maconellicoccus zations and governments. For example, Agriculture and Fisheries, CABI Bio- Belize is the only country in Central hirsutus. The efficacy of this approach was science and IICA (Inter-American Institute America to have found M. hirsutus so far, shown when M. hirsutus reached the Central for Cooperation). USDA-APHIS-PPQ also and this was through an active annual sur- and North American mainlands in 1999 for assisted with introduction of parasitoids, veillance programme. The Belize the first time. Biological control agents were supplying strains of A. kamali from China government has invested since 1996 in deployed within weeks of confirmation of and Hawaii, and G. indica from Egypt. It training its personnel in the identification, the pest’s presence in the USA and Belize. also provided technical assistance for in- field recognition and management of M. hir- country rearing of A. kamali and field Maconellicoccus hirsutus is native to South- sutus. It also ensured that a task force studies, and conducted a number of training east . It was first reported in the (emergency group) was formed specific to courses. By March 2000, nearly 27,000 A. Caribbean from Grenada in 1994 and has M. hirsutus. Due to the formation of this kamali, 5800 G. indica and 20,000 C. mon- since spread to most islands of the Caribbean group, implementation of an emergency trouzieri had been released. An insectary [BNI 18(3), 68N-69N (September 1997)]. action plan was immediate and comprehen- facility has been established in Belmopan The most recent island invasion reported is sive. The pest was detected on Friday 24 and field insectary sites have also been that of Martinique in March 1999. It reached September 1999, and was identified the established to facilitate redistribution of Guyana on mainland South America in same day. By the following Monday, just 3 field-collected parasite material. 1997, and it was acknowledged that inevi- days later, an emergency action plan was tably it would eventually reach Central and The results of field studies conducted in presented to the Ministry. This included North America too. Plans, based on pro- Belize City by the Belize PHMB Control public awareness, internal quarantine, sur- grammes implemented in Caribbean island Programme and USDA indicated that M. veillance, eradication (cut and burn) and countries, were therefore made for its recep- hirsutus field densities at study sites biological control (insectary provision and tion. It reached the North American decreased 93.1% in less than four months as field releases of exotic agents). The first nat- continent first, and was confirmed from a result of the natural enemy introductions. ural enemies (C. montrouzieri)were southern California in August 1999. Shortly These results mirror findings from else- released on 13 October, and releases of A. afterwards it was found in northern Mexico where in the region. In St Kitts & Nevis, kamali began 5 days later. In-country exper- and then in Belize, Central America in Sep- where natural enemies were first released in tise was enhanced by a one-day workshop tember 1999. Maconellicoccus hirsutus has 1996, population densities were reduced by on technology transfer, which was held in been effectively controlled in most countries 91.6% over a seven-month period, and a Belize in November 1999 by USDA- using two natural enemies, the wasp 94% reduction was maintained through to APHIS-PPQ. A 6-day mealybug identifica- Anagyrus kamali from China and the lady- 1998. In St Thomas and St Croix (US Virgin tion workshop in March 2000 was run with bird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. Another Islands), there were reductions of 86.7% and funding/collaboration from OIRSA (Organ- parasitoid, Gyranusoidea indica from 95.2%, respectively, in the seven months to ismo Internacional Regional de Sanidad Egypt, has been released in several coun- February 1998, and a population reduction Agropecuaria), the Belize Ministry of Agri- tries, and its performance is being evaluated. of 88% in the six months to November 1998 culture and Fisheries, USDA-APHIS-PPQ In Imperial County in southern California, was recorded in Puerto Rico following nat- and CABI Bioscience. A second 3-day tech- USDA-APHIS-PPQ (US Department of ural enemy releases. Maconellicoccus nology transfer workshop for the biological Agriculture – and Plant Health hirsutus was first recorded on the north- control of M. hirsutus will be held in June Inspection Service – Plant Protection and eastern end of Puerto Rico at the end of April 2000 in Belize. Quarantine) was able to release Anagyrus 1998, but has not yet spread across half of kamali within three weeks of the pest first the island. It is probable that biological con- 

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Parasitoids Island-Hop Too USDA-APHIS-PPQ (US Department of National Program for the detection of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Maconellicoccus hirsutus (hibiscus or pink Gyranusoidea indica, the Egyptian parasi- Inspection Service – Plant Protection and hibiscus mealybug – HMB or PHMB). toid first introduced into the Caribbean in St Quarantine) in order to implement a biolog- The mealybug was also found on a wide Kitts with assistance from USDA-APHIS ical control programme against P. variety of other plants: , pomegranate, (US Department of Agriculture – Animal marginatus in the Caribbean. A technical cherry (Eugenia uniflora), orange, pine- and Plant Health Inspection Service), was meeting and workshop is tentatively sched- apple, tomato, aubergine/eggplant, sweet recently discovered in Trinidad, identified uled for September 2000 in St Kitts & pepper (Capsicum annuum), (Vigna by Dr John Noyes of the Natural History Nevis sponsored by IICA and USDA- sp., Dolichos lablab, Hebestigma cubense, Museum, London (UK). Gyranusoidea APHIS-PPQ. The status of this pest in the Cajanus cajan and Phaseolus sp.); cotton, indica has been deliberately released in St Caribbean will be discussed and strategies Acalypha sp., muricata, Manilkara Kitts & Nevis, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto developed to survey for its presence in zapotilla, Solanum torvum, Solanum Rico, Grenada and perhaps in some islands other Caribbean countries. In addition, nigrum, Erythrina sp.,Bidenssp., Ligustrum of the Netherlands Antilles for control of strategies will be developed to survey for sp., Pluchea odorata, Hibiscus spp., Cordia Maconellicoccus hirsutus (the hibiscus or existing natural enemies attacking P. mar- sp., Jatropa sp., Guasima tormentosa, pink hibiscus mealybug – HMB or PHMB), ginatus in known infested countries and for Cordia alba, Dahlia pinnata and cocoa. but has not been deliberately introduced into the release of exotic parasites from Mexico. Trinidad. In view of this, one can only spec- Up to now, four genera of parasites of P. Abundant populations were observed ulate about how it came into the country. marginatus have been collected from attacking the above-ground parts of the However, it seems feasible that it may have Mexico that have potential for releasing in plants, and these produced symptoms of been accidentally introduced on M. hirsutus- the Caribbean: Anagyrus spp., Apoan- deformation and early fall of fruit, yel- infested plant material. Such fortuitous agyrus spp., Acerophagus spp. and lowing, and leaf curl. The symptoms were introductions are not unknown. For instance Pseudaphycus spp. The first three genera particularly evident in plants in the genus in Curaçao, Anagyrus kamali appears to have representative species already in cul- Hibiscus and were similar to those pro- have been introduced together with the pest. ture in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands and duced by M. hirsutus. Gyranusoidea indica has been recovered await release and field evaluation. Pres- from material collected in central and north- ently, targeted releases are being planned Although no economic damage has been east Trinidad, but it appears likely that it may for the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, observed on major crops so far, strict sur- be more widespread. The distribution of the Dominican Republic and St Kitts & Nevis. veillance of this pest will continue in Cuba parasitoid will be assessed in forthcoming because of its recent introduction and surveys by the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Contact for above mealybug biocontrol highly polyphagous nature. and Marine Resources, Trinidad & Tobago. programmes: By: Maria de los Angeles Martinez*,  Moses Kairo, CABI Caribbean and Latin American Centre, Gordon Street, Moraima Suris* and Isabel Perez** Curepe, Trinidad & Tobago, W. I. *Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agro- Second Mealybug Invader Email: [email protected] pecuaria, CENSA **Centro Nacional de Sanidad Vegetal, Paracoccus marginatus, the papaya Fax: +1 868 663 2859 Dale Meyerdirk, USDA, APHIS, PPQ, CNSV mealybug, is a polyphagous species native Email: [email protected] to Mexico and some countries in Central 4700 River Road, Unit 135, America. It was first reported from the Riverdale, MD 20737, USA  West Indies from St Martin (French West Email: [email protected] Antilles) in May 1996 and has since then Fax:+1 301 734 8192 Blackfly Biocontrol Orlando Sosa, National Plant Protection been reported from other Caribbean coun- for Trinidad tries (Antigua, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Service (BNPPS), Belize Agricultural Guadeloupe, Haiti, Monserrat, Puerto Rico, Health Authority, Central Farm, The citrus blackfly, Aleurocanthus wog- St Kitts & Nevis, British Virgin Islands, US Cayo District, Belize lumi, (CBF) is an important pest of citrus in Virgin Islands and St Barthélémy) and the Email: [email protected] many parts of the world. A native of Asia, USA (Florida). Paracoccus marginatus Fax: +501 92 3773 it was first reported in the Caribbean from will attack Hibiscus and a wide range of Everton Ambrose, IICA CA in St Lucia, Jamaica in 1913 and subsequently spread to other plants, but prefers papaya; Maconelli- PO Box 1223, Castries, St Lucia, W. I. many other countries in the Caribbean as coccus hirsutus (hibiscus or pink hibiscus Email: [email protected] well as mainland North, Central and South mealybug – HMB or PHMB) will attack a Fax: +1 758 451 6774 America. In recent years, damaging popu- wide variety of hosts but prefers Hibiscus.  lations of CBF have been reported from The damage P. marginatus causes is sim- Dominica and the pest has extended its geo- ilar to that of M. hirsutus, but although the graphical range, with new country records species are superficially similar, in the field Paracoccus marginatus in being reported for St Kitts & Nevis and St they differ in body colour when squashed Cuba Lucia. In Trinidad, CBF was first collected on paper – P. marginatus is yellow whereas in 1997 in the Port of Spain area. Over the Paracoccus marginatus was described as a M. hirsutus is pink. The species can be dis- past two years, it has spread rapidly, ini- new species from specimens collected on tinguished relatively easily once examined tially on citrus and other plants in backyard cassava in Mexico and papaya in Belize, but as microscope slide mounts (M. hirsutus gardens, but more recently into areas of it has since become evident it is highly poly- has nine antennal segments, while P. mar- commercial citrus production. This rapid phagous. It is common in Central America ginatus has only eight) [BNI 19(3),72N- spread is attributable to a lack of effective, where it causes significant damage to cas- 73N (September 1998)]. host-specific natural enemies. sava. In Cuba, it was found for the first time A joint cooperative programme has been in cassava and papaya in January 1999 in CBF has the potential to cause severe losses developed between the Inter-American Oriente Province in the east of the island in fruit production. Even infestations of Institute for Cooperation (IICA) and during a survey conducted under the short duration can reduce production by as News 29N much as 50%, and losses in citrus have Extremadura, Ciudad Real and Zaragoza genic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae var. been estimated to range from 25% to exceeds 500,000 ha. Outbreaks of D. acridum, has been developed and tested in almost complete crop failure. Citrus is an maroccanus also occur in other Mediterra- through the LUBILOSA programme important commercial crop in Trinidad & nean areas such as southern Italy, Crete, where its safety and efficacy are proven. Tobago. Total area under cultivation is esti- Sardinia, Morocco, Algeria and Turkey, as However, the capacity to produce and use mated at 5000 ha, with 1200 ha under well as parts of eastern Europe and the this new technology effectively in Europe Caroni (1975) Ltd and the remaining 3800 former Soviet Union. Indeed, states such as does not exist. The ESLOCO project will ha held by small farmers. Citrus contributes Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan create this capacity, so providing immediate nearly 4% of the total GDP from agricul- are currently suffering major invasions of benefits for biodiversity and, additionally, tural produce, valued at TT$23.4 million locusts covering literally millions of hec- creating new opportunities for exploiting [approx. US$3.74 million]. The advent of tares. The Italian grasshopper, Calliptamus microbial agents for control of other pests. theCBFisthereforeasourceforserious italicus, assumes pest status in France, The project is led by CABI Bioscience in concern. Spain and Italy, and many hundreds of partnership with Imperial College (London), thousands of hectares are sprayed each year the University of Cordoba (Spain), the Uni- In all countries where CBF has been acci- in Russia for control of both this species versity of Bari (Italy) and two commercial dentally introduced, biological control and the white-striped grasshopper, Chor- companies, NPP (France) and Aragonesas using parasitic wasps has proven to be the thippus albomarginatus. Future changes in Agro (Spain). most economical, long-term and sustain- rainfall patterns due to global climate able method for its control. Two natural By: Matt Thomas, Leverhulme Unit for change together with changes in land use Population Biology and Biological Control, enemies that have been responsible for the may well exacerbate the problem further. control of CBF at most locations are Amitus NERC Centre for Population Biology and hesperidum and Encarsia perplexa (= E. Chemical insecticides have to-date provided CABI Bioscience, Silwood Park, Ascot, opulenta). The prospects for successfully the only means for ensuring wide-scale con- Berks., SL5 7PY, UK controlling CBF in Trinidad using these trol of locust and grasshopper outbreaks. Email: [email protected] natural enemies are therefore very prom- This is exemplified by the situation in Spain Fax: +44 1491 829123 ising. Towards this end, the Ministry of where, in an average year, many thousands  Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources of hectares are treated with the broad-spec- (MALMR), Trinidad & Tobago, is funding trum organophosphates malathion and Metarhizium a project aimed at the implementation of fenitrothion, and this often in areas of major Biopesticides Registered biological control. On behalf of the conservation value. The widespread use of MALMR, CABI Bioscience is undertaking such chemicals and their associated detri- in the introduction of A. hesperidum and E. mental effects on the environment, BioCane™, Australia’s second Metarhizium- perplexa. Natural enemies are being pro- combined with the hazard they represent to based biopesticide was launched on 2 May cured from Florida with the assistance of users and livestock, remains a major draw- 2000 in Bundaberg during the Australian Dr Ru Nguyen, Division of Plant Industry, back to continued reliance on their use. Association of Technologists Department of Agriculture and Consumer Particular concerns arise since many of the conference. The active ingredient is viable Affairs. outbreak areas occur in unique steppe eco- conidia of M. anisopliae var. anisopliae iso- systems of substantial importance for By: Moses Kairo, CABI Caribbean and late FI-1045 (from Richard Milner’s CSIRO biodiversity (e.g. the Cabaneros National Latin American Centre, Gordon Street, Pathogen Culture Collection; see Park in Spain and Gargano National Park in Curepe, Trinidad & Tobago, W. I. review article, this issue) effective against Italy). Interestingly, the locust problem in Email: [email protected] the greyback canegrub, Dermolepida albo- the Gargano National Park is a result of EU Fax: +1 868 663 2859 hirtum, Australia’s most serious insect pest set-aside policies, which have led to substan- of sugarcane. It was fully registered by the  tial areas of cultivated land being returned to Australian National Registration Authority uncultivated pasture. This has created on 24 March 2000 and is expected to go on Locust Control: Europe greater opportunities for locust populations sale for the forthcoming sugarcane planting Learns from Africa to breed. Both traditional and new chemicals season starting in July 2000. currently in widespread use for locust and The product consists of rice granules, 1-2 Everyone knows that Africa suffers period- grasshopper control are classified as harmful mm in diameter, on which the Metarhizium ically from plagues of locusts, but it is not to key non-target invertebrates, highly toxic fungus has been grown. It is applied to the common knowledge that Europe has locust to key crustaceans, or harmful to indicator problems too. Now experience gained vertebrate fauna such as lizards and birds. plant crop using existing granule applica- tors developed for applying granules of during the nine-year LUBILOSA pro- There is clearly a need for alternative forms chlorpyrifos. The material contains at least gramme (LUtte BIologique contre les of control to chemical insecticides. 2  109 viable conidia/g and the recom- LOcustes et les SAuteriaux) to develop ‘Protecting Biodiversity through the Devel- mended rate is 33 kg/ha. At this rate, it is Green Muscle™ in Africa is to be used to opment of Environmentally Sustainable expected to cost less than the standard develop a mycoinsecticide for Europe, and Locust and Grasshopper Control’ chemical. Extensive testing over the last this will be the key element in reducing the (ESLOCO) is a new project funded by the few years by the Bureau of Sugar Experi- environmental impact of the locust control European Union through EU Framework V mental Stations, in collaboration with operations in Europe and beyond. – Quality of Life and Management of Living CSIRO and the manufacturer, BioCare Pty Locusts and grasshoppers are key pests in Resources. Its aim is to reduce the environ- Ltd, funded by the Sugar Research and several parts of Europe and the neigh- mental impact of locust and grasshopper Development Corporation [see BNI 19(1), bouring regions. The Moroccan locust, control operations through the development 5N (March 1998)] has shown that at the Dociostaurus maroccanus, has been of a new environmentally sustainable recommended rate the fungus provides recorded as an important pest of pasture strategy, based on the use of a mycoinsecti- over 50% grub control in the season of and crops in Spain for several centuries. cide. The mycoinsecticide, Green Muscle™, application. The conidia have been shown Total area affected in the provinces of which is based on a natural entomopatho- to persist for at least three years following 30N BiocontrolNews and Information 2000 Vol. 21 No. 2 application to sugarcane and the original by locust control were estimated by the icance of information provision for application is augmented by natural sporu- APLC to exceed $100 million. Cullen points agricultural development. lation in infected grubs, thus providing out that until now only chemical pesticides medium- to long-term control. were available for plague locust control, and Back in 1989, an international workshop on that these pesticides can make their way information needs for crop protection, run BioCane™ is expected to gain rapid through the food chain into beef products. by CAB International (CABI), FAO (the acceptance in the rich Burdekin sugar- He reminds us that previously Japan has Food and Agriculture Organization of the growingregionofQueenslandwhere rejected containers of Australian beef with UN) and CTA (the Technical Centre for recent field trials have given consistently even very low levels of residual pesticides. Agricultural and Rural Co-operation) rec- good results and there are serious problems ognised that scarcity of information was a with alternative methods of control. A total Graeme Hamilton, Director of the APLC is serious constraint to progress throughout of about 16 tonnes of product have been particularly pleased that the results from the the developing world, and particularly in applied, mainly in commercial field trials, field trials have shown successful control of agriculture. They foresaw that information over the past three seasons. The main target the and have enabled the team to technology would allow more efficient pest is the greyback canegrub, a univoltine fine-tune the effective field doses. This has delivery, and came up with an imaginative scarab, the larvae of which feed on the roots resulted in a lower dose and reduced the idea of how this could be achieved so that of sugarcane severely reducing the yield of volume of spray per hectare, substantially the benefits would be felt particularly in sugar. Further research is currently looking reducing the overall cost. He notes that developing countries, where the dearth of into other strains of Metarhizium effective CSIRO’s commercial collaborator SGB information was greatest. Over the next ten against related genera of canegrubs. Pty Ltd (part of the IAMA group of compa- years CABI, first in collaboration with nies) has completed a new production Meanwhile, another strain of Metarhizium, ACIAR (the Australian Centre for Interna- facility, and that material produced by them tional Agricultural Research), and FI-985 (CSIRO Insect Pathogen Culture has been shown to be very effective in the Collection), is being commercialized by subsequently with the backing of a Devel- field. SGB Australia Pty Ltd, under the name opment Consortium of some 40 private and public organizations worldwide, and in Green Guard™ and has recently been A recently signed exclusive deal between consultation with potential users, devel- granted a ‘minor use permit’ by the SGB Pty Ltd and CSIRO Entomology will oped the relational database system in a National Registration Authority to enable it fund further R&D on Green Guard™ and multimedia application that became the to be used operationally on organic proper- other research on products for use against Crop Protection Compendium. ties by the Australian Plague Locust termites and in horticulture. Insect-specific Commission (APLC). It is currently being fungal diseases are important in natural The Compendium is a unique, authoritative, used in this way for the first time to assist control of insects. Metarhizium is a natu- comprehensive resource that brings the control of a major locust outbreak in rally occurring fungus which is common all together a wide range of information on South Australia. At the time of writing (14 over the world and affects only insects. 2 pests, diseases and weeds and their natural April)ithasbeenappliedto15km and the Tests in Australia and overseas have shown enemies of worldwide or regional impor- final area treated is expected to be consider- it to be is harmless to humans, plants and tance, together with information on their ably greater. It is being applied at the rate of . crop hosts and the countries where they 1  1012 conidia in 500 ml oil per hectare. Information: occur. This factual core of information is Richard Milner, the CSIRO project leader, http://www.ento.csiro.au/research/biotech/ complemented by utilities that allow users says that mycoinsecticides offer substantial biot07.htm to interpret data. While the sheer quantity advantages over chemical pesticides in http://www.ento.csiro.au/publicity/ and quality of information gave the Com- terms of reduced hazard to users and the pressrel/1999/15dec99.html pendium excellence, it was the linkages environment. He points out that they have http://www.affa.gov.au/aplc/ between different kinds of information that known for some time that Metarhizium is made it a pioneer and, ultimately, so suc- highly effective against locusts and wing- Contact: Richard Milner, cessful. Long before ‘hyperlinks’ had less grasshoppers, but their recent focus has CSIRO Entomology, become a slick way to navigate through been to develop consistency in the product GPO Box 1700, Canberra, cyberspace, the development team for the and to lower the production costs, in turn ACT 2601, Australia Compendium had invented the ‘soft link’, making Green Guard™ not only more Email: [email protected] which allowed users to flip between dif- effective, but affordable. Fax: +61 2 6246 4042 ferent parts of the database in just the same  way but ‘on the fly’, and so created a pow- Jim Cullen, the CSIRO Entomology chief, erful knowledge base. This has a multitude says that the adoption of GreenGuard™ is of uses: for analysing patterns and trends, excellent news for beef and veal producers, Rubber Stamp for IT aiding research and decision-making, and particularly organic certified growers Pioneer preparing briefs, proposals, presentations exporting to the highly sensitive Japanese and training material. market, which is worth around Au$1.3 bil- When CABI’s Crop Protection Compen- lion or 45% of the total value of Australia’s dium was awarded the Pirelli The Global Module of the Crop Protection beef and veal exports. Three species of INTERNETional Environment Award in Compendium was launched in mid 1999, locust (plague, migratory and spur-throated) Rome this April, the CD-ROM product was and the 2000 edition will cover 1550 pests, inflict widespread and severe damage to pas- commended for “its extraordinary value in diseases, weeds and natural enemies in tures, cereal crops and forage crops. supplying science-based information for detail (and include outline data for 10,000 Preventative control undertaken by the the protection of worldwide food resources, more). There is also data for more than 170 APLC is effective in preventing large-scale with a special emphasis on sustainable crops and 150 countries. It provides text, crop damage, which can amount to many development in Third World countries”. pictures, maps, databases, economic data, millions of dollars without effective control. This accolade signals the successful pio- statistics, bibliographic data, diagnostic In the last serious outbreak of the Australian neering of an idea that began more than ten keys, taxonomic information and other plague locust in 1984, crop losses prevented years ago with the recognition of the signif- components of a portable library and deci- News 31N sion-support system, presented so as to Department for International Development) water hyacinth, human and environmental facilitate retrieval and interaction. project. safety, and suitability for mass production and storage. The efficacy of different formu- Stuck for a Fungal Name? Currently available on CD-ROM, work is lations will be assessed in the field. underway to migrate it to the Internet in the No need to be! The database of names of Opportunities for commercialization and latter part of 2000. The CD version is fungi maintained by CABI Bioscience has registration procedures in water hyacinth- already in use in more than 60 countries. gone ‘live’ at: affected countries will also be addressed. The Compendium is updated regularly and http://194.131.255.3/cabipages/ development of new ideas continues. Cur- The database, which has been contributed Developing Capabilities to Develop rently the team is enhancing the product in to by many mycologists from around the Biopesticides two other priority areas: plant quarantine world, started life as just a list of names, but Many developing countries face a pressing and economic impact of pests. The annual is now including more and more . need to develop safe commercial-scale subscription costs US$300 in a developing Information on families and higher ranks alternatives to chemical pesticides. Biopes- country, and $1200 in an academic or will follow in the next few months. For a ticide development has been identified as research institution in the developed world. small but gradually increasing subset, there one avenue worthy of following, but this is real taxonomic information that allows Contact: Patricia Neenan, Compendium requires specialist expertise and facilities. users to ascertain whether the name they Programme Manager, CAB International, The International Biopesticide Consortium are checking is the preferred one or a syn- Wallingford, Oxon, OX10 8DE, UK for Development has been established to onym, and for a smaller subset there are Email: [email protected] deliver to developing countries the training complete taxonomies for genera, families, Fax: +44 1491 833508 and technology that biopesticide develop- orders or classes.  ment requires. The members of the New Wave to Hit Water Hyacinth consortium include CABI Bioscience, IITA (the International Institute for Interna- The Danish International Development CABI Bioscience News on tional Agriculture, Cotonou, Benin), NRI Agency (DANIDA) has committed US$2 the Web (National Resources Institute, Chatham, million for the research and development UK), BBA (Federal Biological Research phase of an international programme to The CABI Bioscience website at: Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Darm- develop a mycoherbicide for water hya- http://www.cabi.org/bioscience/index.htm stadt, Germany) and PACE Consulting cinth (Eichhornia crassipes) control. Led has undergone a make-over. It now provides (San Diego, CA, USA). It aims to make by CABI Bioscience with collaborators up-to-date information on its projects around appropriate training and facilities available from the UK, Kenya, Benin, Egypt, Zim- the world, together with press releases and to national sustainable agriculture pro- babwe and South Africa, the programme monthly news items. Recent stories at the grammes and small-scale enterprises to was launched at a workshop in Cairo in time of writing (April) highlighted: help them develop, produce, commer- March 2000 and will focus initially on cialize and use biopesticides effectively. By Beetles Hit at Any Age Africa. Although insect agents have had an providing technical support and access to a effective impact in some cases, for example Parasitoids are fussy beasts usually, and not range of expertise through the whole in the tropical and eutrophic conditions of least over the stage of the host that they will product development process, the consor- Lake Victoria [see BNI 21(1),1N-8N attack. However, a new species of the bra- tium aims to equip countries with the tools (March 2000)], water hyacinth remains an conid genus Perilitus has been discovered in they need to tackle food production prob- intransigent problem in other regions and Zambia that parasitizes both larval and adult lems in a cost-effective and environmentally climates. The programme aims to comple- stages of the sesbania leaf beetle, Mesoplatys friendly way. ment insect agents with a fungal ally, and ochroptera. The leaf beetle has recently will work with national programmes to iso- become a serious pest of Sesbania sesban, Contact: Jeremy Harris, late and identify suitable fungal pathogens. the nitrogen-fixing tree that is being widely CABI Bioscience UK Centre (Ascot), The mycoherbicide programme is also con- adopted by farmers in short-rotation planted Silwood Park, templating shortening the timescale of fallows for soil fertility improvement in Buckhurst Road, biological control of water hyacinth. Even southern Africa. The new Perilitus species Ascot Sl5 7TA, UK on Lake Victoria, control by the insects and its unusual life history were discovered Email: [email protected] took 2.5-3 years to achieve. A mycoherbi- during a study of the beetle’s natural ene- Fax: +44 1491 829123 cide could potentially begin to exert control mies in Zambia by Marc Kenis (CABI in a matter of weeks. If your website includes news relevant to Bioscience) and Gudeta Sileshi (ICRAF/ biocontrol, let us know so we can spread ICIPE – International Centre for Research in Key to the successful development of the the word through BNI. Agroforestry/International Centre for Insect mycoherbicide will be rigorous testing of Physiology and Ecology) under a DFID (UK isolates for virulence and potential to control  IPM Systems

This new section replaces the ‘Biorational’ Commercialization of intensively researched worldwide in the last section, but will essentially cover the same Neem in East Africa twenty years. Neem-based pesticides are topics – integrated pest management (IPM) environmentally friendly and able to control The neem tree, Azadirachta indica, called including biological control, and tech- a wide range of pests without leaving dan- ‘mwarubaini’ in East Africa, has long been niques that are compatible with the use of known for its medicinal and pesticide prop- gerous residues. Pesticides formulated on biological control or have little impact on erties. The potential use of the various tree neem are being widely used in . Else- natural enemies. components as natural pesticides has been where, particularly in Australia, Germany, 32N BiocontrolNews and Information 2000 Vol. 21 No. 2 the USA and some countries in Central and collaboration with ICIPE and SAROC Ltd, was synchronized, rather than staggered South America, researchers are also working a local pesticide manufacturer. over a month, just after the onset of the intensively on formulating neem-based pes- monsoon rains. Only one hybrid (NHH-44) To date, four formulations of extracts from ticides. As a result, many neem-related and one variety (RENUKA) were used, and mwarubaini seeds have been issued a pre- products for pest management are available these were planted at spacings of 90  60 liminary certificate of registration by the on the market in some countries. and 60  30 cm, respectively. and Pest Control Products Board of Kenya and cowpea were grown as a border intercrop to are available for commercial use. These In Africa, neem is a valuable shade and augment coccinellid and other beneficial products have proved to be effective fuelwood tree. Knowledge of neem’s effi- insect populations. Setaria was planted against important pests of horticultural cacy as a traditional medicinal plant is between every 9th and 10th row of cotton to crops such as the black aphid on French widespread in East Africa. Indeed, it is provide perches for predatory birds and so beans, cabbage aphids, diamondback moth, claimed to cure 40 different diseases, hence lure them into the crop. Crop protection leafminers, caterpillars and root-knot nem- its local name, mwarubaini (arubaini is measures included releases of biocontrol atodes. In addition, they have given good Kiswahili for 40). In contrast, its potential agents, and application of Helicoverpa control of aphids, whiteflies and bollworms for use as a natural pesticide is little known armigera NPV (HaNPV) and botanicals; in tobacco. Furthermore, a remarkable in the region. Home-made pesticides, using applications were based on the economic development of natural enemies has been the leaves and seeds, have been considered threshold levels (ETLs) of the pests, and observed after long-term applications of an attractive option, especially for their populations were monitored by mwarubaini-based insecticides, which have resource-poor farmers. However, the scouting and monitoring using pheromone led to reduced applications of pesticides. In acceptance of this approach has been low. traps. A typical farmer made two releases addition, the project created an alternative Major problems hindering adoption of of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma chi- income generation through seed collection, neem by growers include poor dissemina- lonis, 15 days apart, following the especially in areas of marginal agricultural tion of neem-related knowledge, and the appearance of H. armigera moths in the activities. fact that in those regions where neem could traps, and 2-3 applications of farmer-pro- be used successfully, such as vegetable Contact: Ana Milena Varela, duced 5% neem seed kernel extract which growing areas, there are either not enough c/o GTZ-IPM Horticulture, also controlled other bollworms. If Heli- neem trees or none at all. Other constraints P.O. Box 41607 Nairobi, Kenya coverpa populations continued to rise, one to its use are labour intensity and storage Email: [email protected] application of HaNPV would be made. problems. Fax: +254 2 861307 Dorian Mario Rocco, SAROC Ltd, The worth of the imidacloprid treatment For the use of neem-based pesticides to be P.O. Box 18228, Nairobi, Kenya was proved when emerging seedlings in the successfully promoted among small-scale Email: [email protected] non-IPM treatment were subjected to heavy farmers in Africa, it is essential that formu- Fax: +254 2 554370 millipede attack in the heavy monsoon lations become available on the local rains, and the crop had to be replanted. market at competitive prices. This could be By: Brigitte Nyambo Field sanitation and acid-delintation in the achieved if the products can be locally  IPM treatment contributed to the suppres- processed using seeds collected by farmers. sion of most seedling diseases to low levels. To assess the possibilities for this, two fea- Indian Cotton IPM is Foliar disease was restricted to early sibility studies were undertaken by the GTZ growth stages (when the adopted crop Material Success (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische architecture led to an unfavourable micro- Zusammenarbeit) IPM Horticulture Project Encouraged by consistent success in field climate). A grey mildew disease caused by (IPMH) in 1994-95 in Kenya. Based on cli- trials in earlier years [see BNI, 20(2),56N- Ramularia areola became severe, but no matic classifications, these studies 57N (June 1999)], the Indian National fungicide was necessary at the dehiscence estimated that over 25% of the land in Centre for Integrated Pest Management stage. However, heavy rain led to severe Kenya is suitable for growing mwarubaini. (NCIPM) chose the village of Barad in the boll rot, which was attributed to a number The tree is currently found in Kilifi, Lamu, Nanded district of Maharashtra as the set- of pathogens. Mombasa and Taita Taveta districts in ting for a 200 ha village-scale validation The pest insect population, which was CoastProvinceaswellasthesemi-arid trial for its cotton IPM module. More than monitored in IPM and non-IPM fields, areas of north-eastern Kenya. It was there- nine million ha of land in India is planted included jassids (Amrasca bigutulla), fore judged as worthwhile to establish a each year with cotton, but although this rep- aphids (Aphis gossypii), thrips (Thrips small industry to process the mwarubaini resents some 5% of cultivated land, 52% of tabaci), whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and sev- seeds and to formulate suitable products for pesticides applied to crops in India are used eral species of bollworm (spotted sale on the local market. on cotton. The NCIPM has been devel- bollworm, Earias insulana; pink bollworm, oping IPM modules for dryland cotton for In mid-1996, ICIPE (the International Pectinophora gossypiella; American boll- some years to provide farmers with alterna- Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology) worm, Helicoverpa armigera ). The tives to such high pesticide use. The Centre received a research and development grant populations of sucking pests were low in has a mandate to develop and promote IPM from GTZ to undertake the development of IPM fields compared to non-IPM fields, technologies for major crops in India, to a small-scale industry of mwarubaini-based and were controlled by the imidacloprid sustain higher yields with minimum eco- insecticides. The aim of this project was to treatment for up to 50 days after planting. logical implications. produce simple, standardized, mwarubaini- But much larger populations of insects based pesticides, which could be purchased The IPM module combines need-based use (coccinellids and chrysopids) and birds on the local market at competitive prices. of crop protection measures with appro- (mynas, finches and blackjays) were The processing, formulation and standardi- priate crop management practices, which recorded in the IPM fields, and these also zation of the mwarubaini-based pesticides have been refined over the course of several contributed to suppression of these pests as well as efficacy tests were carried out years’ smaller scale field trials. Certified and the bollworms. In the IPM fields, jassid simultaneously. The work was carried out acid-delinted seed was treated pre-planting populations were less than two-thirds, and by the GTZ-IPM Horticulture Project in with imidacloprid at 7 g/kg seed. Planting aphid populations less than one-third those News 33N in non-IPM fields. Helicoverpa armigera Contact: NCIPM, Lal Bahadur Shastri studies, and their findings should be con- populations in IPM fields were half those in Building, Pusa Campus, sidered in this light. However, they do non-IPM fields and similar differences New Delhi – 110 012, India attempt to bring a multidisciplinary and were found for E. insulana and P. gossyp- Email: [email protected] delivery-focussed approach that addresses iella. In addition, parasitism by T. chilonis Fax: +91 11 5765472 technical, economic, education and farmer was found to be highest in fields with least  related perspectives. The first three case chemical interventions. studies cover:

The IPM module gave substantial reduc- Delivering Biocontrol: • The use of the egg parasitoids Tricho- tions in insecticide use and gave higher net Identifying Bottlenecks gramma spp. for control of lepidop- returns and yields compared with the con- terous pests of sugarcane, rice, cotton ventional non-IPM farmers’ practices used An elegant biocontrol solution to a crop and vegetables in Tamil Nadu and the previous year in the village. IPM inputs pest or disease may look good on paper and Karnataka in southern India. make an impressive conference presenta- cost Rs 1545 (excluding labour) compared • The delivery of biopesticides based to Rs 3225 for conventional inputs. The tion, but IPM is a practical and knowledge- intensive subject. If farmers don’t adopt the on the fungi Beauveria bassiana and average seed cotton yield with the IPM Metarhizium anisopliae for control of module was 962.5 kg/ha, more than four technology, it’s a might-have-been, and not insect pests in , vegetables and times the previous year’s average yield of a success. sugarcane in Nicaragua. 220 kg. The cost benefit ratio of IPM over Over the past twenty years, IPM has conventional farmers’ practices exceeded become a preferred and widely imple- • The use of Trichoderma spp., fungal 1:15. However, the most important mented methodology in crop production, antagonists of a number of soilborne achievement of the project is argued to be but whereas in the 1970-80s IPM was based pathogens that attack field crops in an extraordinary reduction in pesticide use, on research-driven technology with Vietnam. from 9.28 to less than 0.03 kg/ha. Villagers farmers the uninvolved beneficiaries, Food for Thought not only saw better yields and higher net today, as IPM spreads, farmers are devel- returns, but began to see the improvements oping their own local solutions and look The case studies summarize current gov- an IPM approach brought to the environ- increasingly to researchers for technologies ernment policy, industry structure, research ment as birds began to nest in the cotton to test and incorporate. This demand is and production, extension, distribution, ecosysytem. likely to increase as farmer-participatory training and farmers’ views. Conclusions IPM methods spread, but can it be met? The are drawn and recommendations made for This is just one of many IPM modules development of practical and economical each country covered, and more general being developed by the NCIPM showing biocontrol technologies has progressed conclusions and recommendations are encouraging results in the last year. In Uttar more slowly than anticipated. The multina- drawn up from all three studies. Despite Pradesh, for example, an IPM module for tional crop protection industry has not differences between countries and the spe- basmati rice was evaluated in trials cov- found them economical to develop and cific biocontrol agents under consideration, ering an 8.5-ha area. Mean yields of 4.771 smaller more local enterprises have some common constraints to the delivery of t/ha were recorded, compared to 3.628 t in received virtually no incentives. Biocontrol biocontrol technologies emerged. plots under chemical control treatment and technology development is generally 3.628 t in farmers’ practice plots. Here, leaf Regulatory Framework assumed to have presented a number of folder and stem borer were the commonest common obstacles for small enterprises, The need for a specific biocontrol regula- pests, while sheath blight and blast were the although how far these difficulties are real, tory framework, or exemption, or special worst diseases. Substantial improvements or widespread, has not been fully investi- status with regard to existing chemical pes- were made to the website for IPM in this gated. These include: ticide regulations was recognised. crop, and socioeconomic surveys added to Generally, biopesticide registration is sim- knowledge about basmati rice growers’ • Developing products to meet high ilar to that required for chemical pesticides, problems and concerns. Progress is also performance standards. and this can obstruct progress particularly being made with IPM modules for mustard, • Achieving good product quality with for smaller would-be producers. In chickpea and . The Centre’s key inherent safety and efficacy implica- Vietnam, biopesticides are subject to con- work in forecasting systems continued for tions. ventional pesticide legislation. Helicoverpa and potato aphid (Myzus per- sicae). They also assessed the threat to • Achieving adequate market penetration In India, macrobiological control agents do Indian crops from exotic pests and diseases, and product distribution. not have to be registered, but biopesticides and a study was made of nematodes and now have to be registered under the Pesti- their management in rice and wheat. • Competing effectively with agrochem- cides Act under some circumstances: if Training is a key function of the centre, and icals. farmers or cooperatives are producing biopesticides for their own use, there is no it ran field days, Farmer Field Schools, a • Operating within an unfavourable need for registration; if biopesticides are Master Trainers Training Programme, regulatory environment. training in cotton IPM for industry per- produced for commercial use by large sonnel, and an IPM workshop under NATP Stakeholders are beginning to address how (national or international) companies they (the National Agricultural Technology far such obstacles really limit delivery of have to follow registration requirements. In Group). biocontrol technologies in developing Tamil Nadu State in India, one NGO countries and, if they do, how the con- (VOICE Trust) has recently begun village- Information: straints and barriers can be removed. As level production of Trichogramma,but NCIPM (1999) Annual Report 1998-99. part of this process, UNEP and CABI have faces uncertain, and at best fluctuating, New Delhi, India; National Centre for initiated a series of case studies* to con- demand through the year. Although ini- Integrated Pest Management, 80 pp. sider critical issues in the delivery of tially donor-aided, VOICE Trust now NCIPM (1999) NCIPM Newsletter 5(1), biocontrol technology to IPM farmers. needs to become commercially viable, so 4 pp. These are preliminary and small-scale wants to diversify into other biological con- 34N BiocontrolNews and Information 2000 Vol. 21 No. 2 trol agents and biopesticides. It argues that staff and farmer groups engaged in experi- gramma supply to this sector is reliable, the recent legislation regarding biopesticide mentation. The growing organic coffee poor product availability was identified as a registration makes it difficult for a small market is likely further to stretch biological significant obstacle to biological control commercial producer to meet registration control agent supply. The UCA-Miraflor adoption in other crops (predominantly requirements. This, it says, may prevent it sees the demand for B. bassiana from the cotton and rice and also vegetables). It was from expanding into biopesticide (particu- organic coffee sector as an opportunity to the opinion of almost all stakeholders larly microbial biopesticide) production, expand their market beyond their own cab- (including researchers, NGOs, extension which would both increase product availa- bage growers. agents and commercial producers) that Tri- bility to smallholders and make the chogramma needs to be produced locally at fledgling biocontrol business more secure In India, national and state governments village level if the two key constraints of through product diversification. have been strong supporters of IPM and product availability and quality assurance biological solutions to pest control for are to be overcome. This view is not new, In Nicaragua, although the government many years. In 1977, the All-India Coordi- having been first put forward in 1990 by supports IPM and biological control, there nated Research Project (AICRP) on staffoftheCIPMCinBangalore,Karna- is no fast track registration procedure for Biological Control was initiated to conduct taka. However, the Indian Government has biopesticides. Registration is expensive as systematic studies on natural enemies of recently taken steps to deal with the per- well as lengthy. Small organizations can crop pests and to utilize both exotic and ceived production bottleneck, announcing sell unregistered products to their members, indigenous natural enemies. The first pri- funding for the Departments of Agriculture but are unable to supply outside demand. vate insectary, Biocontrol Research of state governments to develop infrastruc- Prospects for market growth are thus very Laboratory, was established at Bangalore ture to allow their biological control centres limited and the biopesticide sector seems in 1981. A rapid proliferation of companies to increase the supply and hence use of aug- doomed to remain fragmented unless more ensued, and there are now some 80 mentative biological control agents and appropriate biopesticide registration is country-wide, producing predators biopesticides. facilitated. One farmers’ association, the (including ladybirds, lacewings, anthoc- Miraflor Union of Agricultural Coopera- orids and predatory mites), a variety of Vietnam has virtually no national biopesti- tives (UCA-Miraflor), aims to register its parasitoid species (notably Trichogramma cide production capacity, so nearly all product and use sales-derived income for spp. and strains), entomopathogens products are imported and their availability improving production systems. (including Bacillus thuringiensis formula- is limited. A number of institutions work on Trichoderma and although they are being Production Capacity tions, viral products and fungal pathogens), plant disease antagonists (Trichoderma and looked to for larger scale production, Biological control agent production Pseudomonas spp. and strains) and weed- researchers identify constraints to capacity often limits uptake of the tech- feeding insects (for water hyacinth control). achieving this at all levels. Scale-up of pro- nology. This is particularly striking in These commercial concerns also supply duction remains an issue and the institutes Nicaragua, where demand for biological other inputs such as pheromone traps for have no experience in the more commercial control agents now far outstrips supply. lepidopteran monitoring and mating dis- aspects of biopesticide development. There, biocontrol is still largely a develop- ruption, and plant products such as neem- Product Quality and Shelf Life ment issue funded by international donors based formulations. The companies supply with sustainable agriculture and poverty end-users directly or through government Problems with product quality were found alleviation goals. There is no commercial agencies. Apart from these private con- in all three studies (high levels of contami- production, and biological control research cerns, states have their own mass nation, variable concentration of active and production are confined to universities, production units, including sugar co-opera- ingredient, variation in viability, question- NGOs and farmers’ groups. The Ento- tive mills which supply natural enemies to able shelf-life, etc.). In India, there is a mopathogenic Fungi Unit of the National farmers. In short, a vast array of biocontrol striking difference between the situation in Agricultural University (UNA) produces products is available in India, yet inade- sugarcane, where Trichogramma has been Beauveria bassiana (for coffee berry borer quate production is still identified as one of used for internode borer (Chilo saccha- and for diamondback moth in cabbage) and the major bottlenecks to IPM adoption. riphagus) control for the last forty years, Metarhizium anisopliae (for rice bug, and other crops where the technology is sweet pepper weevil and sugarcane and In Tamil Nadu, the Central Plant Protection newer. Although mass production tech- pasture bugs) semi-commercially, using a Station began to promote IPM in 1981. The nology is reliable, there is little quality solid substrate system based on rice. Prod- importance attached to this mandate was control. The commercial producers sell ucts are not stored but are produced on reflected in its change of name in 1991 to mainly to the extension services, but a sig- demand. NPVs are also produced for lepi- the Central Integrated Pest Management nificant though minor part of the market is dopterous pests in maize, vegetables and Centre (CIPMC), one of 26 such govern- to the sugarcane industry. Biological con- soyabeans. A number of NGOs also pro- ment-supported centres in India. The trol is encouraged and promoted by the duce fungal biocontrol agents on a smaller centres produce augmentative biological sugar mills, and adoption rates amongst scale. For example, the UCA-Miraflor sup- control agents and biopesticides, which are sugarcane growers are high. Uptake is plies B. bassiana to its own members, but used mostly in demonstration plots in much lower in other crops, and farmers production is impeded by lack of laboratory farmers’ fields set up to train extension report poor product quality as well as lack facilities; the unit operates without elec- officers and farmers in augmentative bio- of availability. Equally, some production tricity, and spore extraction, which logical control techniques as components companies argue that with no direct cus- involves lengthy sieving, is the key produc- of IPM. Most commercially available Tri- tomer contact they have no control over the tion bottleneck. Current demand for chogramma is currently produced by supply process. They say that product biological control (fungal and viral) prod- private companies, and most is sold on to quality suffers as a result, especially for a ucts in Nicaragua comes mainly from farmers through state extension services product with as short a shelf-life as Tricho- smallholder farmers. This capacity has (subsidized at about 10-25% of the com- gramma.(Trichogramma does present been generated largely through IPM mercial cost). Mass production methods are particular problems. In contrast, NPVs can training, which has built up a national net- well established and well tested. Although be stored in India at room temperatures for work of enthusiastic and skilled extension adoption in sugarcane is high and Tricho- up to three months, and under refrigeration News 35N for up to a year. For NPVs, the major con- farmers, especially coffee growers in iso- of Trichogramma are compounded by a straint is continuous large-scale production lated mountain areas. lack of understanding of augmentative bio- in vivo on specific insect hosts.) There does logical control. The VOICE Trust suggests appear to be a failure by some companies to Farmer Knowledge that the successful adoption of biological maintain quality standards, although in a Farmers often lack knowledge of biocon- control needs a high level of farmer training competitive market it is expected that com- trol technologies, and in particular an and has developed special training cur- panies that do not supply good-quality understanding of the highly varied ecosys- ricula in biological control for farmers’ products will fail as customers ‘vote with tems within which such technologies have field school graduates who are taught in their feet’. Recognising that a possible lack to perform. The case studies highlight the small groups. In particular they suggest that of self-regulation by some companies is difference that training can make. In farmers need to learn about augmentative causing a second major bottleneck to IPM Vietnam, the government is a strong sup- biocontrol agents as living entities, their adoption, the Indian government is consid- porter of IPM and set up a successful basic food and habitat requirements, and ering enforcing strict quality parameters to National IPM Programme in 1992. Activi- how to cater for these needs by providing protect the interest of end-users. ties have included Training of Trainers, alternative food sources/hosts. Explaining Farmer Field Schools and Participatory the importance of intercrops is seen as an In Nicaragua, there is no national quality essential component of IPM training, par- control body to oversee production stand- Action Research. Since 1998 the pro- gramme has been formally supporting local ticularly in cotton and vegetables, to make ards. Quality control and monitoring are the technique more sustainable. Unless under-resourced and the relevant authori- IPM movements to build a community IPM network that can provide a framework for knowledge and understanding is effectively ties lack necessary experience. Shelf-life is conveyed to farmers, released agents may also a significant constraint, particularly for nationwide IPM implementation. Farmers are currently evaluating Trichoderma die on or soon after release, or migrate from NPVs which need to be kept frozen until the system. just before use. Most farmers do not have under the IPM programme’s participatory refrigeration facilities on their farms, let action research programme on disease Take-Away Messages alone access to refrigerated transport, so management. However, the study identi- fied a clear divide between IPM-trained So which of the assumed problems outlined although demand is high, the future of at the beginning of this article were found NPVs will be compromised unless formu- farmers who are enthusiastic about biopes- ticide products, and non-trained farmers to be limiting adoption of biocontrol tech- lation and storage characteristics of virus nologies in practice, and which weren’t? components can be improved. who are unfamiliar with biopesticide prod- ucts. Amongst the latter group, there were There was certainly some variation in In Vietnam, the regulatory authorities carry concerns about the efficacy and speed of product performance. Some farmers were out quality control checks on chemical pes- performance of biopesticides, and these very happy with the biological control ticides, but no such procedures are reservations were largely based on a lack of agents they bought, but others were not and currently carried out for biopesticides. understanding of how biopesticides work. some of these believed that local-level pro- Farmers who purchase biopesticides duction could improve this. Although (mainly imported Bt products) form their In Nicaragua and in the Indian sugarcane training had a major impact on the efficacy own opinions, based on experience, of the sector, where IPM training and a history of with which products were used, there most reliable products and sources. biological control, respectively, mean that seems to be a widespread lack of any Researchers included efficacy and shelf- farmers have a good understanding of the quality control regulations for biological life in the constraints they identified to technology, there is great enthusiasm for control agents on both local and national developing large-scale production of biological control, the products are applied levels. Lack of quality control is affecting microbial biopesticides. effectively, and the results are good. In the long-term adoption of biological con- other crops in India, by contrast, the tech- trol in at least some cases. On the other Distribution Systems nology is newer and farmers and extension hand, detailed, lengthy and costly proce- staff are still learning how best to use bio- dures for registering biopesticides were Distribution systems for augmentative bio- logical control, aided by the strong identified as constraints to their develop- logical control agents and biopesticides are commitment of the Indian government to ment, particularly for small-scale often limiting factors in product use. In IPM training. The Project Directorate of producers, and simpler ‘fast track’ systems India, the biocontrol industry acknowl- Biological Control (PDBC), Bangalore were commonly suggested. edges that it has a problem distributing (established in 1993 by up-grading the direct to smallholder farmers, particularly AICRP on Biological Control) has since its Market penetration and product distribu- given the short shelf-life of Trichogramma, inception provided training to scientists, tionwerefoundtobekeyconstraintsinall and it also recognises that the state depart- entrepreneurs, agricultural officers of state three countries. Even where an effective ments of agriculture have done a good job and central agricultural departments and distribution network had been established of promoting the use of biological control managers of private companies for the pro- (e.g. in parts of India), drawbacks were within IPM. Latterly, NGOs are also begin- duction, utilization and supply of quality identified by farmers. Interestingly, farmers ning to help. In Nicaragua, by contrast, natural enemies, and consultancy services there want to replace the commercial pro- there is no structured distribution system to are also provided. Since 1999, the Indian duction and extension-led distribution reach the thousands of smallholders, and Council of Agricultural Research system with a village-level production access to products is a key problem, with (ICAR)has established a Team of Excel- system. Nicaraguan biopesticide producers the exception of the UCA-Miraflor, whose lence on Biological Control (funded by the are discussing the pros and cons of either members can either collect from the local World Bank) at PDBC, where two-month cottage-industry local production centres or town, or arrange a delivery within 1-2 days. crop-based and six-month subject-based large-scale industrial production, or NGOs and other IPM training projects have training is provided. With such a large whether a combination of both is desirable. set up skeleton networks to supply biopes- farmer population to reach, their task is However, and as highlighted in Nicaragua ticides to some of their participating vast. and Vietnam, limited production capability farmers; however, the cost of public trans- is at least as important a constraint to port and the time delay involved can be In Tamil Nadu, farmers report that prob- uptake of biological control and the growth serious impediments to many smallholder lems with poor availability and poor quality of the sector. 36N BiocontrolNews and Information 2000 Vol. 21 No. 2

The ability of biological control products to general conclusion to the case studies, it is under discussion to look at issues in India in compete successfully with agrochemicals suggested that the following avenues might greater depth. However, it is hoped that depends on a wide range of issues, be explored to find a means of removing these preliminary studies will begin to con- including those dealt with above. In India, barriers to delivery of biocontrol technolo- tribute to a better understanding of the for Trichogramma at least, factors that may gies in developing countries: constraints to delivering biocontrol for IPM constrain uptake in the non-sugarcane farmers, and to an eventual resolution of • The impact and value of incentives on sector include poor product quality and them. the availability and uptake of biocontrol availability, and lack of farmer training in products. augmentative biological control. In Raj, D.; Hill, G. (2000) Delivery of biocon- Vietnam, there was a clear divide between • How appropriate shelf-life and quality trol technologies to IPM farmers: India. IPM-trained and untrained farmers in their can be achieved, maintained and UNEP/CABI Critical Issues Case Studies. preference for biopesticides or conven- monitored. Dent, D.R.; Gopalan, H.N.B. (eds)Nairobi, tional pesticides, but the biopesticide Kenya; UNEP, ix + 19 pp. • How necessary support, experience products were also considered to be too Jenkins, N.E.; Vos, J.G.M. (2000) Delivery expensive and of variable quality. The and information can be provided to of biocontrol technologies to IPM farmers: development of a national biopesticide pro- national regulatory authorities. Vietnam. UNEP/CABI Critical Issues Case duction capability is being hindered by lack • The economics of scale of biocontrol Studies.Dent,D.R.;Gopalan,H.N.B.(eds) of funding and local expertise. In Nica- technology. Nairobi, Kenya; UNEP, ix + 29 pp. ragua, inadequate supply and poor Williamson, S.; Ali, B. (2000) Delivery of distribution were the overwhelming prob- • Improving and maintaining farmer biocontrol technologies to IPM farmers: lems in a farming sector that was keen to learning methods. Nicaragua. UNEP/CABI Critical Issues adopt IPM following effective training. • Defining the role of farmer partici- Case Studies. Dent, D.R.; Gopalan, H.N.B. However, complex regulatory procedures pation in the development and evalu- (eds) Nairobi, Kenya; UNEP, ix + 35 pp. were identified as hindering the resolution ation of new biocontrol products, and of production and supply problems. identifying the mechanism by which Contact: Jeremy Harris, CABI Bioscience UK Centre (Ascot), this can be achieved. So, within the context of these studies, the Silwood Park, obstacles identified at the outset were A workshop is planned for later this year to Buckhurst Road, Ascot Sl5 7TA, UK shown to be limiting the adoption of bio- consider in depth how best to remove the Email: [email protected] control technology to some extent, and two barriers. Other studies by other stake- Fax: +44 1491 829123 more key constraints were identified: pro- holders will doubtless come up with other duction capacity and farmer training. In the findings. For example, further studies are  Training News

In this section we welcome all your experi- The resulting trend is of soil impoverish- current maize production in the Chiapas ences in working directly with the end- ment, loss of traditional cultivars, increases highlands were to be developed and imple- users of and microbial biocon- in pest incidence and a steady reduction in mented, it was necessary to work directly trol agents or in educational activities on maize yields. Whitegrubs, in particular, with farmers in a process of discussion and natural enemies aimed at students, farmers, have been encouraged by the changes in joint analysis. This process would require extension staff or policymakers. soil use and farming practice and are now new methods and strategies for more effec- held to be one of the main production con- tive interaction between farmers and Community Linkage for straints in maize, responsible for grain researchers, in order to solve problems and Whitegrub Management losses of up to 500 kg/ha. Many farmers support innovative rural development. In carry out two manual weedings and up to 1996, families from the tzeltal indigenous The Chiapas highlands in Mexico are char- three broad-spectrum herbicide applica- community in Amatenango del Valle acterized by their indigenous communities tions, leaving the soil devoid of other requested ECOSUR’s collaboration to of Mayan ancestry, and increasingly, the vegetation. This practice leaves little but solve their whitegrub problems and the vil- decline and poverty of their farming sys- maize roots for whitegrubs to feed on, as lage of El Madronal was selected for tems. Indigenous farmers traditionally well as provoking soil erosion. Lodging of studies in farmers’ fields and community grew a mixture of maize varieties in associ- maize plants is common in fields which activities. Most women in Amatenango ation with beans and they worked full-time have been burnt, ploughed and cleared of make a living from pottery while their men- on their farm, spending time observing and weedy species. folk farm part-time, however, the women experimenting. In the last two to three dec- were very interested in improving maize ades, the economic situation and lifestyle of Researchers in the Department of Alterna- production and the children take part in these communities have altered and many tive Production Systems at the College of farmwork too. now are forced to look for off-farm the Southern Border (ECOSUR) in the Chi- employment to survive. They have shifted apas highlands were aware that scant The ECOSUR team began their work in the to farm practices which they see as less attention has been paid in Mexico to pro- community by field walks and meetings time consuming and more efficient, such as moting linkages with smallholder farmers. with farmers using traditional maize– herbicide and insecticide application, As well as farmers being the supposed ben- systems and modernized maize monocul- burning of crop residues and monoculture eficiaries of IPM strategies, their ture. The farmers discussed their recent of hybrid maize varieties, while aban- knowledge could provide valuable infor- changes in farming practice and the doning many traditional cultural crop mation for IPM development. ECOSUR pressing need to reduce labour time, for management methods. staff decided that if viable alternatives to instance, by burning maize stalks rather News 37N than digging them under, and abandoning These activities served as a platform for the effectiveness of adult beetle suppres- the practice of earthing up young plants discussing potential control options for sion, the team carried out larval density (which helps to develop a strong root whitegrubs with the community in early sampling four months after the collections system). The project was presented to 1997, after which farmers decided on sev- in El Madronal and compared these with farmers in a meeting after the initial field- eral options they would like to try out. another community where no collection walks, along with possible activities. Proposed alternatives were: interplanting took place. Whitegrub densities averaged Farmers and researchers agreed on methods maize with climbing beans, Canavalia 1.5 larvae/m² in El Madronal while the con- for collaboration, with the latter promising legume cover, dolichos bean and alfalfa; trol village averaged 17.24 and 13 larvae/ to report back on research progress via par- single weeding combined with earthing up; m² for two of the most voracious species. ticipatory workshops. Season-long studies selecting resistant seed (select from cobs These species were those which had been were carried out on nine irrigated and two from plants which did not lodge from commonest in the children’s collections. rainfed farms to determine levels of whitegrub damage to the roots); and The results indicate that adult collection damage caused by whitegrubs and to try increasing planting density. Farmers chose can noticeably reduce subsequent larval and identify possible control options with to try the following options: in irrigated densities and thus contribute to improved the participating farmers. Simultaneously, maize, they opted for maize with common maize yield. Mass capturing of adult white- bioecological information about the pest bean; single weeding; earthing up; and in grubs has now been shown to be a cheap, was collected and the local whitegrub com- rainfed maize for maize with common efficient, simple and safe management plex identified. The history of use of each bean; maize with Canavalia;andacommu- method in rainfed maize zones but which field was collected along with detailed nity campaign to collect whitegrub adults. relies on collective organization by the management practices recorded throughout From the experiments in rainfed maize, community. 1996, to draw up seasonal calendars. The association with legumes did not show any researchers also sampled floral and insect clear effect on whitegrub larval density or The process of taking ownership of new diversity and whitegrub larval density on damage but the farmers thought it was a technologies is slow but the ECOSUR each farm. useful practice if one, rather than two, rows team’s experience in 1998 showed that of beans were sown between maize rows methods with most impact for farmers were In the Chiapas highlands there is a large because it reduces weed emergence and being followed up. They are now preparing guild of beetles which lives in the soil but hence the need for herbicide application. In a simple key for farmers to distinguish only some from the melolonthid family irrigated maize the practices of single good from bad melolonthid and other bee- feed on the roots of crops and cause typical weeding, earthing up and legume associa- tles. The team continues to study other whitegrub damage. Farmers know quite a tion were considered potential alternatives, methods for whitegrub integrated manage- lot about the whitegrub larval stage since it depending on seasonal and field-specific ment including applications of botanical causes direct damage, but it became variation and individual farmers’ resources. extracts against small larvae; trap cropping of useful plants with attractive roots for obvious from the field discussions that they Farmers were not so enthusiastic about larvae such as mustard and radish; natural were not aware of the lifecycle of the insect Canavalia use because they could not see enemy studies and entomopathogens; and and its non-larval stages. Their usual con- any immediate benefits of interplanting. weed management strategies. This aca- trol method is to apply insecticides, such as demic linkage project has enabled carbofuran and phoxim, with grave conse- The control method which brought most ECOSUR to build relations with the quences for their health and the impact was adult beetle collection in the farmers and potters of El Madronal and environment and for natural control since rainfed maize zone. A total of 83 primary now the ‘control’ community too, where the number of beneficial insects is school pupils in the village were first taught they have also run workshops and where decreased. Current insecticide use is of lim- how to recognise whitegrub pest damage they plan to continue with joint research for ited effectiveness as larvae may be deeper and how to distinguish the pest species in safe and effective pest management based than the chemical can reach, heavy rains adult form from related beneficial beetles on local resources and which can be inte- tend to wash it out and farmers rarely apply which are decomposers. The collections grated into farmers’ existing farming at the critical periods to prevent larval took place over four weeks in April and practices. growth. The team carried out a pests and May 1997 and every week the children col- diseases survey, with sampling and obser- lected beetles and explained to the vation every three weeks with the active ECOSUR team how and where they had By: Adriana E. Castro Ramírez, participation of the majority of the farm captured the beetles. The girls mainly col- Jorge A. Cruz López, women who accompanied them in their lected those attracted to lights while the Concepción Ramírez Salinas, fields. By observing and talking with these boys explored to find beetles gathering in Lorenzo Hernández López and women in the field, the team collected eth- certain host tree species, which they shook Javier A. Gómez Méndez nobotanical information about properties of to release the insects. The researchers took Department for Alternative Production weedy species (medicinal, edible, poi- the weekly collections back to the labora- Systems, sonous, harmful or beneficial to the crop, tory for identification and to confirm the ElColegiodelaFronteraSur(ECOSUR), etc.). In August 1996 the first workshop for host tree feeding as observed by the boys. Apdo. Postal. 63, farm women was run, using field sessions In total the pupils collected 40,995 adults San Cristóbal de las Casas, in rainfed maize to teach them how to rec- over 27 ha, belonging to six Phyllophaga Chiapas 29200, ognise whitegrub damage and how to and Anomala species. The collections were Mexico distinguish this from other problems (other organized as a competition and each child Email: [email protected] pests, excess moisture, wind, weeds, or who took part received a school bag with a Fax: +1 967 8 23 22 soil-related). The women also presented whitegrub control slogan and containing ECOSUR website: http://www.ecosur.mx their opinions of production problems in candies, and the most avid collectors were maize. given notebooks and pencils. To confirm  38N BiocontrolNews and Information 2000 Vol. 21 No. 2

Internet Round-up

By: Tony Little, Technical Support Group The USDA-APHIS Plant Protection and and has a section on pest management and to the Global IPM Facility, CABI Quarantine site has produced a nice little pages dedicated to the citrus mealybug at: Bioscience. fact sheet on the Pink Hibiscus mealybug at: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ This quarter we are looking at mealybugs. citrus/l2311.htm There is a fair bit on the net, and much of it http://www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/ focuses on the hibiscus, or pink hibiscus, mealybug.html Not a great deal of information here, but mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus [see which is worth a look, and is linked to the quite a pretty site, and a useful place to General News, this issue]. News bulletins 1997 status report on its biological control. visit if, like me, you are a bit of novice in over the past three or four years on the bio- A bit out of date now, but tells the story of the world of citrus pest management. logical control of this pest can be found at a biological control project in the Carib- The Virtual Orchard at: number of sites. For example: ‘Search is on bean. CABI Bioscience also give details of for natural enemies of mealybugs’, a paper their activities in this area at: http://www.virtualorchard.net/ from the ‘Good Fruit Grower’ at: http://www.cabi.org/BIOSCIENCE/ is a dedicated World Wide Web site for http://www.goodfruit.com/archive/ invertebrate.htm#mealybug sustainable apple production, and has a Sept_96/feature5.html The University of California Statewide little bit on the grape mealybug, biology ‘Wasps to keep pink mealybug in check’, Integrated Pest Management Project has and control. The Virtual Orchard is part of from the Environmental News Network at: produced some brief, pithy pest manage- the Mid-Atlantic Regional Fruit Loop: ment guidelines, including one for citrus http://www.enn.com/enn-news-archive/ mealybug at: http://www.caf.wvu.edu/kearneysville/ 1997/06/062597/06259706.asp fruitloop.html http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/ ‘Presence of the Pink Hibiscus Mealybug is r107300511.html If I’m honest there is not a great deal of confirmed in Belize’ from the Government The ‘Texas Fruit’ home page can be found mealybug information here, but this is of Belize Press Office at: at: such a good site for apple IPM, that I felt compelled to include it somewhere! http://www.belize.gov.bz/pressoffice/ http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ press_releases/29-09-1999-236.shtml citrus/citrus.htm  Announcements

Are you producing a newsletter, holding a workshops, courses, expositions, insect Working Group meeting for the biological meeting, running an organization or film festivals and seminar series are all and integrated control of water hyacinth rearing a natural enemy that you want listed. At the time of writing (March) some will be held in Beijing, China on 9-12 other biocontrol workers to know about? 700 events are listed for 2000, and calen- October 2000. The purpose of the work- Send us the details and we will announce it dars for future years are in preparation. Six shop is to share and help disseminate in BNI. indexes help the entomologist with wander- information on biological and integrated lust locate meetings of interest in the control of the weed, identify research areas Catch that Flyer! chronological list. These are based on spon- thatmayleadtoimprovedcontroland soring society/association and the type of establish closer links between project The Entomology Events Calendar at: event, and on the topic of the meeting: spe- researchers and programme managers http://www.sciref.org/links/EntEvent/ cific taxonomic groups (such as around the world. Sponsored by the IOBC index.htm Coleoptera), apicultural events, mosquito Global Working Group, the meeting is was first posted in January 2000, and is and vector control events, and pest control, being organized by the Biological Control hosted by Scientific Reference Resources IPM, crop protection and plant protection Institute (BCI), Chinese Academy of Agri- (SRR), a non-profit organization that cur- events. cultural Sciences (CAAS). rently publishes Arthropod Endocrinology To submit information, send it either by The registration fee of US$280 should be News,theDirectory of Arthropod Endo- email to: [email protected] paid by 31 August (details below). Those crinologists,andNew Entomological Taxa or by post to: Scientific Reference wishing to attend should provide their at: Resources, PO Box 73674, name, nationality, date and place of birth, http://www.sciref.org/ Davis, passport number and occupation to Ding CA 95616, USA The Events Calendar is updated almost Jianqing (address below) as early as pos- daily and its goal is to provide a compre-  sible to obtain a visa application form, and hensive, Internet-based list of events then apply for a visa at their local Chinese devoted to general or applied entomology, Chinese Water Hyacinth embassy/consulate/visa office. including apiculture, pest control, mosquito Meeting or vector control, and crop protection. Titles and abstracts (abstracts not Commercial meetings, society and associa- The second IOBC (International Organiza- exceeding 250 words), preferably in MS tion meetings, conferences, congresses, tion for Biological Control) Global Word for Windows 95 or 98 format, should News 39N be sent in English no later than 31 July 2000 of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand on developing Green Muscle™ for control of via Internet (preferably) or air mail to Ding 19-23 February 2001. locusts in Africa. The success of the pro- Jianqing. gramme rested heavily on the development Papers and discussion sessions will be of appropriate production and application strictly limited to the subject of: ‘Eradica- Registration payment to: IOBC WH technology, and the experience gained and tion of invasive species from islands; Workshop, Biological Control Institute, lessons learned along the way are a signifi- methods used and the results achieved.’ Chinese Academy of Agricultural cant output of the programme. Sciences, The term ‘eradicating’ may include work to 30 Baishiqiao Rd., remove invasive species where complete The raw material for a fungal spray or myc- Beijing 100081, eradication is some, or many, years away opesticide is dry fungal spores, for which P.R. China but the methods used to date are achieving mass production methods have to be devel- Bank Acount No. 71402953, positive results or providing a significant oped. The next hurdle is how to extract the Bank of China, address: 410 Fuchengmen learning experience. The term ‘island’ may spores efficiently and cleanly from the solid Neidajie, Beijing 100034, P.R. China. include true islands, natural habitat islands fermentation product. Spores can be (e.g. ponds), remnant and artificial habitat extracted by a laborious (and dusty) sieving Contact: Mr Ding Jianqing, Biological islands (e.g. reserves), or new invasions of process, using first coarse (300-500 µm) Control Institute, Chinese Academy of natural ecosystems where eradication was andthenveryfinemesh(say100µm) Agricultural Sciences, deemed feasible. Preference will be given sieves. But even so, the final product can 30 Baishiqiao Rd., to papers that provide detail of the tech- contain a high proportion (up to 40% by Beijing 100081, niques used or of the ecosystem response to volume) of larger particles (10-100 µm) P.R. China the work. Significant learning experiences that cause problems by settling out in tanks Fax: +86 10 68919567 may include methods which failed. The and, if very large particles are present, they Email: [email protected] titles of presentations are requested by 15 can cause blockages in filters and nozzles. June 2000. The deadline for the receipt of  The MycoHarvester is both easier to use abstracts is 1 October 2000, although late and produces extracts conforming to a very offers may be considered. Chromolaena Workshop high particle size specification on a labora- Update Contact: Dick Veitch, tory scale. For extractions of Metarhizium 48 Manse Road, anisopliae, more than 80% of particles are The second circular is now available for the Papakura, less than 10 µm, and none exceed 100 µm. Fifth International Workshop on Biological New Zealand The device is designed to harvest fungal Control and Management of Chromolaena Email: [email protected] spores from a solid substrate (e.g. conidi- odorata, which is being held in Durban, Fax: +64 9 298 5775 ated grains such as rice), and is suitable for South Africa, from 23-25 October 2000, Also see the ISSG website: http:// small-scale, non-continuous preparation of with a field-trip from 26-28 October. The www.issg.org mycopesticide samples or similar products. purpose of this workshop is to facilitate the  Conidia are concentrated in a form that is dissemination of information on the man- easy to desiccate and package. Experience agement and control of chromolaena, to collected during the LUBILOSA pro- identify areas in which new research is Two Birds with One gramme indicated that this was a key needed, and to foster global co-operation Stone? process in the development of commer- on managing and controlling this plant. cially acceptable mycoinsecticides. The 13th Australian Weeds Conference Please note the cut-off date of 15 July 2000 (AWC) is being held in Perth, Western The MycoHarvester MH1 is now available for submission of abstracts and titles, regis- Australia on 9-12 September 2002. It is for purchase. Price (not including postage tration fees, post-workshop fieldtrip anticipated that some delegates will have a and packing) for single units: UK£3890/ bookings and deposit to the organizers, and broad role in agricultural and/or environ- US$6300. CABI member countries of accommodation bookings to the hotel. mental protection, and will be concerned reduced price: £2590/$4200. Discounts for Contact: Lorraine Strathie-Korrûbel, also with vertebrate pests and their control. multiple orders. It is proposed to hold a workshop or sympo- ARC-PPRI, Private Bag X6006, Contact: Roy Bateman, sium on vertebrate pests in conjunction Hilton, CABI Bioscience, with the weeds meeting (6-7 or 13-14 Sep- 3245, South Africa Silwood Park, Ascot, tember are tentative dates). Suggestions for Email: [email protected] Berks. and/or expressions of interest in taking part Fax: +27 33 355 9423 SL5 7TA, UK in a vertebrate pests meeting can be sent to: Or see the Chromolaena biocontrol web- Email: [email protected] Roger Armstrong, Department of Conser- site: Fax: +44 1491 829123 vation and Land Management, http://www.cpitt.uq.edu.au/chromolaena/ Website: http://www.cabi.org/BIO Western Australia siamhome.html SCIENCE/biopesticides.htm Email: [email protected]   For details of the 13th AWC contact the conference organizer. Eradication of Island Email: [email protected] Records of European Invasives Whitefly Enemies  A call for papers has been made for a con- Under the auspices of EWSN (the Euro- ference on Eradication of Island Invasives: LUBILOSA Spin-off pean Whitefly Studies Network), a list is Practical Actions and Results Achieved. being compiled of predators and parasitoids This is an international conference of the The LUBILOSA programme (LUtte of whitefly species within Europe by a Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) BIologique contre les LOcustes et les SAu- group of experts including A. Polaszek and of IUCN and will be held at the University teriaux) has spent the last nine years J. Noyes (UK), O. Alomar (Spain), J. 40N BiocontrolNews and Information 2000 Vol. 21 No. 2

Fransen (Netherlands) and D. Gerling would be pleased to hear from anyone Contact: Dan Gerling, (Israel), and in cooperation with C. Rap- familiar with records on natural enemies of Department of Zoology, isarda (Italy), who is compiling a host list of whiteflies that are not within the main- Tel Aviv University, Israel whiteflies in Europe. A literature survey stream literature. Suggestions on how to Email: [email protected] has been undertaken, but to make the final employ and utilize the forthcoming list are list as complete as possible, the compilers also welcome.  Conference Reports

Mexican Biological staff provided these products at subsidized Technicians felt the most useful support the Control Congress cost to encourage their use. Mr Rizo had MBCS should offer is quality control stand- been conscious for some time of the risks to ards and more promotion of IPM, rather The 22nd Congress of the Mexican Biolog- human health and the environment of than letting farmers think that biocontrol ical Control Society (MBCS) was held excessive use of pesticides, as well as expe- alone will solve all their pest problems. from 28-29 October 1999 at the Postgrad- riencing pest resistance to common There should also be experience sharing uate College in Texcoco, Mexico, under the insecticides. His motivation for involve- between farmers who collaborate on trials theme ‘Biological Control, the Key Tool ment also came from the increasing cost of and with new farmers. for Pest Control in the New Millennium’. agrochemicals as well as being naturally Prior to the Congress a 3-day lecture course curious. Local beekeepers whose hives had The session concluded with the following recommendations: was held together with practical workshops been affected by pesticides were those who on hymenopteran identification; mass pro- first alerted him to the dangers. He • Practical demonstration and visuali- duction of entomopathogenic fungi; and described how his personal interest in nat- zation of results is the best method to design of entomophagous arthropod ural control was sparked by a technician convince farmers. rearing systems. In addition to the usual who took him out one night to watch white posters and presentations, manufacturers of grub adults emerging from the soil and he • Subsidies are an important factor in biological products displayed their wares was so impressed by the huge quantities increasing interest and uptake. and a biocontrol quiz for students was that he agreed to try out these new methods. • Biocontrol is a key tool in IPM but organized. Themes for papers included However, he admitted that the challenge not the only one. Biotechnology and Genetics; Biosystem- remains to motivate other farmers to try out atics and Taxonomy; Weed and Pathogen biological control. Other BCA programmes • Thereisaneedtolookattheroleof Control; Veterinary Biocontrol; Mass promote gradual integration of biocontrol, native natural enemies and their Rearing and Quality Control; Biology, encouraging local producers’ committees possible displacement under augmen- Ecology and Behaviour; Education and to set percentage adoption targets for bio- tative biocontrol. Technology Transfer; Evaluation and logical and chemical methods. Impact; and Integrated Management. • MBCS should support the rapid legis- Several large-scale growers of vegetables lation of quality control. Most of the Congress sessions were tech- (strawberries, tomatoes and ) nical but one session focussed on ‘Farmers’ spoke about their experiences with BCAs. A special symposium was held on ‘Models Views and Experience in the Use of Bio- One had calculated detailed input/output of Participatory Research and Technology control Agents’, coordinated by Raquel budgets for his fields to get fellow associa- Transfer with Emphasis on Biological Con- Alatorre of the IFIT Postgraduate College tion members interested, as the only way to trol’. Leobardo Jimenez from the and the Neotropical Section of the Interna- attract them is to show the economic sav- Postgraduate College’s Centre for Rural tional Organization for Biological Control ings. These growers felt that demonstration Development and Bernardino Mata from (IOBC). The Society has done preliminary plots are the best way to interest others and the Rural Sociology Department at the Uni- consultation with farmers to get feedback then generate demand for BCAs by con- versity of Chapingo discussed the on biocontrol agent (BCA) products but vincing association committees. There is a sociopolitical context for farmer-centred recognises the need to develop methods for lot of misunderstanding about BCAs; for extension and the failure of much of Mex- BCA release and application strategies instance, many farmers think that mycopes- ican agricultural research and extension to which are as rigorous as those for labora- ticides will not work unless there is a lot of meet the needs of the smallholder and tory production. Despite a large number of rain. Quality control and customer service indigenous sector. Ann Braun from CIAT small private sector enterprises in Mexico, is also key. Another factor in low adoption (International Center for Tropical Agricul- dominated by researchers, there are no levels is the linking of credit available to ture) outlined the principles and experience national guidelines for release and evalua- association members with agrochemical of the Local Agricultural Research Com- tion strategies. The Society is keen to and seed suppliers. Some farmers who had mittees (CIALs) in Colombia and other develop these as this is the point where used BCAs were forced to stop using these Latin countries and Falguni Guharay from widespread use of BCAs will succeed or products in order not to jeopardize their the CATIE (Centro Agronómico Tropical fail. Farmers from nearby states with whom production credit. Everyone agreed that de Investigación y Educación) IPM pro- MBCS members collaborate were invited biocontrol needs to promote itself as gramme in Nicaragua discussed the to this session to share their opinions with aggressively as the agrochemical industry institutional processes in farmer-led researchers. Mr Jesus Rizo represented a and several farmers suggested that tradi- research. Stephanie Williamson from smallholders’ association growing maize, tional commercial suppliers of farm inputs CABI Bioscience discussed challenges for sorghum and chickpeas. Through collabo- should be persuaded to start distributing farmer participation in coffee research and ration with local research and extension alternative products. Due to increasing extension. Christiane Junghans and Ramon staff, Mr Rizo had tried a Metarhizium export restrictions on residue levels, there is Jarquin talked about the ECOSUR (the biopesticide for soil pests, notably white growing interest in non-chemical alterna- College of the Southern Border) academic grubs, and tried biofertilizers. University tives among many large-scale farmers. links programme with rural communities News 41N and the challenges in changing farmer and cocoa under the original forest canopy • Create a decision support model for researchers’ attitudes and making academic should disappear. researchers and farmers. research more relevant to production needs. • Develop and evolve a new paradigm The programme is now running pilot par- It was against this sense of crisis for future for agricultural change. ticipatory research activities in indigenous cocoa production in Bahia that a witches’ methods for whitegrub management in broom meeting was organized in Ilheus, • Find and evaluate plants for sustainable maize [See ‘Training News’, this issue]; Brazil on 21-24 February 2000, funded and agroforestry systems. use of botanical preparations for control of organized by M&M Mars. The meeting • Help establish a pilot for a micro- varroasis disease in beehives; control of was attended by over 50 participants from maize stemborers with baculovirus; and 19 organizations, including researchers and economic lending programme. coffee berry borer IPM. Juan Barrera pre- farmers and representatives of government, Genetics and Breeding sented a proposal from ECOSUR for pilot industry, NGOs and development agencies. • Apply DNA fingerprinting techniques development of farmer participatory IPM It aimed to review research and familiarize training in coffee and maize in Mexico all participants with work in progress on to 300 accessions at Almirante which aims to combine the learning of agr- efforts to solve the witches’ broom Center. oecological principles as practised in problem. M&M Mars was very much a • Apply DNA fingerprinting techniques Farmer Field Schools with action research driving force behind the meeting, and made to 1000 accessions at CEPLAC. for specific problem solving, as promoted a very professional effort to overcome by CIALs. some of the previous lack of communica- • Identify and map witches’ broom tion between research organizations. The resistance genes for Scavina 6 and 12 The Congress Proceedings, mainly in meeting looked for ways to initiate cooper- and produce a complementary DNA Spanish, draw together papers, keynote ative research, develop a collaborative library for the Expressed Sequence speeches, poster and symposium abstracts. approach and set in motion action plans to Tags (EST) project. Contact: Dr Nina Bárcenas Ortega, build on the activities being conducted by Biocontrol Colegio de Posgraduados-IREGREP, CEPLAC(CommisãodoExecutivado Montecillo, Texcoco, Edo. Mex, Plano da Lavoura Cacaueira) in Brazil and • Ecology: predict behaviour of Mexico 56230 other institutes worldwide, working toward Trichoderma in the field. Email: [email protected] a model of sustainability. This model of • Field application studies to optimize Fax: +52 595 20262 collaboration and planning, although ini- Trichoderma delivery systems. Society website: http:// tially applied to the witches’ broom www.controlbiologico.org.mx/ problem in Bahia, could be used to tackle • Search and screen field materials to other global cocoa disease problems. find new biocontrol agents. By: Stephanie Williamson, CABI Communication/Collaboration Bioscience CEPLAC hosted the first day at its site near  Itabuna. Each participant was given the • Distribute comprehensive email list of opportunity to air their hopes for the participants. meeting. From this energetic discussion, Galaxy of Talent Tackles • Set up WWW (web) based repository four major themes evolved: Agroecology, Cocoa Disease of searchable data, information and Biocontrol, Genetics and Breeding, and knowledge related to witches’ broom Cocoa is a handsome crop and even its Communication/Collaboration and teams disease (which could be expanded to worst diseases have attractive names: were formed to focus attention and other cocoa diseases). ‘Witches’ Broom’ and ‘Frosty Pod’. But strengthen research in these areas. Each although a chocoholic could be forgiven for team developed an action plan, prioritizing • Set the WWW based cocoa research thinking these are seasonal chocolate nov- at least four activities for the next six bulletin board to support collabo- elties, to the cocoa farmers of Brazil they months and identifying for each activity: ration within and between the teams. spell ruin, unless the cocoa sector can come ‘What needs to be done,’ ‘Why?’, ‘Who is • Provide links to other cocoa and up with some solutions quickly. the owner?’, ‘Who is doing the work?’, ‘Who needs to be kept informed?’, ‘People scientific sites of interest. Bahia State in Brazil is the principal cocoa- resources,’ ‘Money resources,’ and A gap analysis highlighted items for further growing region of the Americas. An agaric ‘Timing’. The process of sharing informa- consideration by the teams: how to involve fungal disease was first noticed there in tion and making plans laid the foundation all stakeholders (particularly small 1989, and since then witches’ broom of trust and familiarity within the teams that farmers), how to optimize extension activi- (Crinipellis perniciosa) has contributed to a will help them carry forward their work. ties and technology transfer, and how to halving of cocoa production. But some ten The Biocontrol group ended their session acquire needed resources quickly. Each years after the disease was identified, and with a demonstration of new sprayer tech- team will consider additional activities to after a plethora of consultants, there is still nology by CABI Bioscience. Equipment fill those gaps. no clear integrated approach to its manage- was left at Almirante Center (M&M Mars) ment. For example: chemical, biological and CEPLAC for further testing and anal- Field trips were also made to small farmer- and cultural (pruning) methods have been ysis. Major activities identified by for each run biocontrol plots around the Una Biolog- tried, but there appears to be little idea of team were: ical Reserve area. CEPLAC have how these may interact with one another, or developed a sprayable product, ‘Tricovab’, even the most appropriate timing of inter- Agroecology based on the recently described mycopara- ventions. The problem currently affects sitic fungus Trichoderma stromaticum,and over three million people of the Bahia • Evaluate farmers’ tolerant plant the application of this was demonstrated. Region, covering 600,000 ha of arable land, material. The farmers have embraced the tech- and could potentially have a devastating nology, although it is too early to determine environmental impact if the traditional • Develop techniques to multiply good if it is having significant impact. There was Cabruca cultivation system of growing material. also a tour of the Una Ecopark, a private 42N BiocontrolNews and Information 2000 Vol. 21 No. 2 forest reserve bordering the Una Biological building activities may be included in the (US Agency for International Develop- Reserve, to see how a well-preserved agenda for the next general meeting in ment), as well as the leadership provided by Atlantic Forest can offer lucrative eco- September. M&M Mars and Almirante Center on nomic alternatives for the region. The Una behalf of the industry. She suggested that There are other promising developments. Ecopark was created by the Institute for the teams created during the meeting could New players such as USDA (US Depart- Socio-Environmental Studies of Southern work in concert with ACRI’s International ment of Agriculture) geneticists and plant Bahia (IESB), in partnership with Conser- Sustainable Cocoa Program. breeders have entered the scene and they vation International of Brazil The will help to assess South and Central Amer- organizations are also doing research on In his final remarks, Raul Valle, Director of ican germplasm collections for resistance regional biodiversity and offering agrofor- CEPLAC heralded the meeting as a posi- to diseases. Work on cocoa endophytes, estry extension assistance to farmers and tive step forward in undertaking co- although at an early stage, also looks a communities to help save key forest frag- operative research to find a solution for promising avenue and is being investigated ments. The Cabruca cocoa system is seen witches’ broom. He also noted that a as a long-term strategy for control of cocoa as a key factor in the conservation and pres- pending Memorandum of Understanding diseases. ervation of the ecoparks and acts as between USDA and CEPLAC would cover corridors between them. It was argued that it may only be a matter of collaborative research in genetics and bio- time before witches’ broom reaches other control. He expressed the hope that Perhaps the greatest achievement of the cocoa-growing countries, in the Old World, concrete actions and results would follow meeting was the formation of collaborative for example, but it was also pointed out that as a result of this meeting. teams. Two years ago most of the witches’ broom will probably be followed researchers in attendance were not even on Contact: Roy Bateman, CABI Bioscience by other diseases such as frosty pod, and each other’s ‘radar screens’, and by the end UK Centre (Ascot), Silwood Park, that could make witches’ broom seem a of 1999 they were fragmented, at best. Now Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7TA, UK mere hiccup. they are forming into research teams with Email: [email protected] action plans covering the next six months. Carol Knight (American Cocoa Research Fax: +44 1491 829123 The stages that the teams will go through as Institute – ACRI), representing the cocoa This technical aspects of this report are they evolve from an initial state of indi- and chocolate industry, acknowledged the based on a conference report by Vince vidual contribution to that of effective team cooperation and resources provided by Arecchi. collaboration and on to high performance USDA, CABI Bioscience, Conservation See the CocoaResearcher website: http:// state were discussed – they have the poten- International, IESB, CEPLAC, UESC www.cocoaresearcher.com tial to develop into an exciting WWW- (State University of Santa Cruz), OCP based collaborative venture. A set of team (Organic Commodity Project), and USAID  New Books

An Antipodean example, the host range studies on Rhinoc- “The first seven chapters focus on the var- Perspective on Host- yllus conicus clearly showed that a range of ious methodologies commonly used in the Specificity Testing thistles would be likely to be attacked if this host specificity testing of candidate agents weevil were released in North America, and for biological control of weeds. Richard This slim A4 booklet* presents nine papers hence the fact that it has now been able to do Hill explains the political and scientific and a synthesis from a one-day workshop so should not come as a surprise. When R. usefulness for the commonly utilized no- organized by the Co-operative Research conicus was first introduced into North choice trial. He takes the concept further Centre for Tropical Pest Management enti- America in the 1950s, the decision-making than just the no-choice starvation test, but tled ‘Introduction of exotic biocontrol process did not consider the fact that it might also considers extended fecundity and agents – recommendations on host specifi- feed on other thistles as a matter of sufficient developmental trials of herbivorous insects city testing procedures in Australasia’ concern to prevent its introduction (watch and mites under no-choice conditions. Both which was held in Brisbane on 3 October out for André Gassmann’s useful review to Michael Day and Bill Palmer add to the 1998. The papers are by a range of Aus- be published by CABI in the proceedings of understanding of the breadth and applica- tralian and New Zealand scientists involved the IOBC Conference in Montpellier, tion of no-choice trials. Michael Day in biological control of weeds and arthro- October 1999 [see BNI 21(1),14N-16N considers how results over multiple gener- pods, and provide a useful perspective of (March 2000) for a conference report], and ation on non-target hosts can be interpreted, the different approaches currently being the post-hoc review in preparation by André while Bill Palmer reviews the biological used or developed to assess host specificity Gassmann and Svata Louda). It can be control literature and finds no evidence that of insect biological control agents. argued that the science was correctly carried using cut foliage for no-choice trials rather out, but the decision-making process was This is a timely publication, given the cur- than whole plants can drastically alter the contemporary, and that society’s values rent concerns regarding possible non-target outcomes, at least for foliage feeding change over time. effects of introduced biological organisms. insects. Tim Heard summarizes a technique In this debate, I think it is useful to distin- The subject matter of the volume reviewed for host range testing insects that utilize dis- guish between the science-based assessment here and the workshop it reports refers to creet resources and which have of the potential host range of a biological the scientific process of evaluating the mechanisms, such as the use of an oviposi- control agent as opposed to the decision- potential host range of biological control tion-deterring pheromone, that tend to making process itself. This has become agents and does not consider the decision- prevent them from over-exploiting obvious in the recent discussion of some of making process. The editors have conven- resources. Penelope Edwards defines what the non-target effects reported in the popular iently summarized the contents of the constitutes a choice test, considers the use- as well as the scientific literature. For papers in the preface as follows: fulness of such tests, and make News 43N recommendations about their role, particu- in developing such a guide. It is a snapshot materials with a good cross-section of larly as pertains to ascertaining oviposition of how biological control scientists in Aus- reviews from the USA, Western Europe, and/or feeding preferences between plant tralia and New Zealand were thinking in Kenya, Malaysia and China; and lastly, species. David Briese reviews the literature late 1998. facilities and safeguards for the deliberate surrounding open field host range tests, importation of plant pests and pathogens The binding on my copy is not very robust, their rationale, and interpretation. His rec- which contains chapters covering plant and since in some sections the margins of ommendation for a two-phase methodology pathogens, nematodes and general princi- the pages come close to the spine, I am not appears to overcome a number of the current ples of design. sure that it will last very well. concerns about field tests. Andy Sheppard provides a thorough review of the biological *Withers, T.M.; Browne, L.B.; Stanley, J. The stated objectives of the book are to control literature and reveals that, to date, (1999) Host specificity testing in “provide information about how quarantine no significant sequence of assay type has Australasia: towards improved assays for and research services perceive the risk been predominant. He has produced an biological control. Indooroopilly, associated with exotic plants and other insect biology-based decision flowchart to Queensland; Department of Natural organisms, and how this risk may be man- suggest how the selection of the initial host Resources, 98 pp. Pbk. aged through containment facilities and range assay type could be most appropri- Price: Au$30.00 + p&p; discounts for safeguards.” To achieve this, the authors ately made. multiple purchases; credit card payments collate much widely scattered published accepted. and grey literature into a single-source ref- “The next two papers discuss methods used Obtainable from: (quoting item M12975): erence about principles, concepts and in host specificity testing of parasitoids for Scientific Publishing, Natural Sciences guidelines relating to the design and func- biological control of arthropod pests. Bar- Precinct, A Block, 80 Meiers Road, tion of containment facilities for high and bara Barratt and co-authors provide an Indooroopilly, Queensland 4068, low risk activities. The authors do not overview of requirements for host specifi- Australia attempt to set particular international scien- city testing of parasitoids. The regulatory Email: [email protected] tific ‘standards’ but instead, provide requirements as well as the complexities of Fax:+61738969672 examples of how various international assay design for parasitoids are considered, research centres, governments and others and some modern technological aids to host By: Matthew Cock, CABI Bioscience. have dealt with issues related to the import range assessment are introduced. Michael  and export of plants, plant products and Keller discusses the importance of having other organisms. an understanding of the processes involved A Handy Quarantine in host selection and clearly illustrates the The magnitude of the problems to be relevant concepts with mainly parasitoid Reference grasped is nicely illustrated in the chapters examples. World trade in biological material for agri- covering the quarantine facilities at CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agricul- “Finally, Toni Withers discusses prospects culture or forestry purposes (e.g. seed, new ture) and IITA (International Institute of for developing an integrated approach to cultivars) is now at an all-time high; as with Tropical Agriculture). The exchange of host specificity testing to improve the accu- other world trade, this is largely a conse- plant germplasm is an activity of major racy of predicting field host range. How the quence of the impact of the General importance in the genetic improvement of order of host specificity testing assay type Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT). cultivated species. The Genetic Resources can be altered so that applications for A whole spectrum of national and interna- Unit (GRU) of CIAT has been involved released biological agents fit within a ‘best tional agricultural organizations is now with the movement of some 65,000 bean practice risk assessment’ framework is demanding information on containment seed samples to 83 countries and at least discussed.” facilities and detection procedures that sig- nificantly reduce the risks of pests (insects 27,000 tropical forage germplasm samples One thing that comes out very clearly from and mites) or pathogens ending up in the to 71 countries (chapter 5). Clearly there these reviews is the diversity of detail in the wrong place. There is additional interest are real phytosanitary risks associated with approaches used by scientists to assess the from the environmental sector and the gen- the international movement of germplasm host specificity of the they study. eral public concerned about the accidental of this scale; in the case of CIAT, safe I found this a very useful summary and introduction of non-indigenous species that movement is managed by their GRU. reminder of some of the assumptions, diffi- may have adverse effects on ecosystems. culties, and potential pitfalls relating to the Quarantine facilities are also of relevance A knowledge of the life cycles of organ- different approaches. It is clear that to test to biological control workers meeting new isms to be contained is one of the most biological control agents for insect pests to demands for the screening of exotic biolog- important factors necessary for the proper the same level of predictability as for weed ical control agents. design of containment facilities and for biological control agents will be chal- implementing safeguards. Kahn (chapter 3) lenging, time consuming and expensive. This book* attempts to meet all of these provides a good background discussion on demands and by any measure is a brilliant this and on other biological concepts Who needs to read this volume? Scientists effort. Kahn and Mathur have assembled a including pathway analysis; the latter is an involved in the study of host specificity of good cross section of authors who, evaluation of a pest’s biology to assess the biological control organisms are the together, provide a truly international and various ways that it could arrive in a new obvious audience. Scientists concerned holistic view on the subject. Chapters are area. Kahn reminds us that quarantine with the potential impact of biological con- grouped under four main headings: back- activities are designed to reduce the risks of trol organisms on non-target organisms ground regulatory and biological concepts entry via manmade, and not natural, should read it, and scientists who are tasked with two nice reviews by Kahn; safeguards pathways. with the evaluation of applications for per- and facilities mostly for seeds with some mission to introduce biological control interesting reviews of facilities and safe- In the chapters covering specific quarantine organisms should certainly be familiar with guards at the international agricultural facilities, authors have included floor plans, the contents. It is not a how-to guide, but research centres; facilities and safeguards diagrams, etc., and suggested biological wouldbeaveryusefulinformationsource with emphasis on vegetative propagating and environmental standards, equipment 44N BiocontrolNews and Information 2000 Vol. 21 No. 2 needs, phytosanitation procedures, staffing policies that will avoid or minimize non- In the Perspectives section L. E. Ehler pro- and the results of pest and pathogen tests. target effects. To this end a symposium was vides an introductory chapter discussing held at the 1997 Annual Meeting of the issues raised by past classical biological This book will be of interest to all those Entomological Society of America. This control of insects and calls for “a sensible involved with the regulation of movement book* contains chapters based on the eight balance between economic reality and of biological material and is likely to presentations made at the meeting and a environmental ethics”. Jeffrey Lockwood become a standard reference text. further nine others, written especially for it, follows with a philosophical discourse on *Kahn, R.P.; Mathur, S.B. (eds) (1999) on aspects of the biological control of the need to monitor ecological processes Containment facilities and safeguards for insects by insects or weeds by insects. The rather than individual species when meas- exotic plant pathogens and pests. St Paul, editors explain the background in their uring non-target effects. Peter Stilling and MN, USA; American Phytopathological preface and their intention “to achieve a Daniel Simbeloff try to measure the impor- Society, 213 pp. Hbk. ISBN 0 89054 197 3. balanced treatment of the diverse view- tance of non-target effects by considering Price: US$69.00 points and approaches” in order to the average number of recorded hosts of introduced biological control agents and Obtainable from: APS Press St Paul Office, “stimulate thinking and activity in this their attack rates on non-target hosts in 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St Paul, neglected area of applied biology”. Have order to counter the view of many practi- MN 55121-2097, USA they succeeded? tioners that non-target effects are both weak Fax: +1 651 454 0766 and infrequent. Finally, Russell Messing Email: [email protected] The majority of the contributors are from discusses the impact of concerns about non- APS Press Europe Branch Office, the United States – only three of the 17 target effects on the conduct of biological Broekstraat 47, B-3001, Heverlee, Belgium chapters are by scientists from other coun- control and calls for clear streamlined Email: [email protected] tries and focus on work undertaken national regulations to allay fears of exotic Fax: +32 16 202535 elsewhere. Consequently, the majority of species and to ensure the future for cost American Phytopathological Society Web- chapters dwell on the consequences of past effective and environmentally sound bio- site: http://www.scisoc.org introductions into the USA and the need for more effective regulation of introductions logical control of exotic pests. Elsewhere in  into that country. However, the contribu- thebookP.B.McEvoyandE.M.Coombs tions from New Zealand (Barbara Barratt et attack the “lottery model” of biological Nontarget Effects of al.) and Australia (Toni Withers et al.) out- control whereby practitioners are under Biological Control line the strict and apparently effective pressure to introduce many agents quickly procedures already in force in their coun- in the hope that they will sort themselves Until about twenty years ago little consider- tries. Also, little mention is made of the out and some will bring about control. ation was given to the impact of biological 1996 FAO Code of Conduct for the Import More generally valuable are the chapters control agents (principally exotic species and Release of Exotic Biological Control including case histories summarizing introduced for control of introduced pests) Agents which has provided the stimulus for experimental work or quantitative observa- on non-target organisms, except for efforts debate and legislation in a number of devel- tions made to measure non-target effects. toavoiddamagetocropplantsbyagents oped and developing counties that so far These provide the facts which can help applied for weed control. Methodology for lack mechanisms for regulating biological refine methodology that will minimize the host range screening of weed control agents control introductions. was developed primarily for this purpose, chance of unwanted side effects from future introductions. Barbara Barratt et al.show but agents for control of arthropods and The book is a compilation rather than a that pre-release investigations on host other invertebrate pests were not screened. coherent text, no effort appears to have ranges of braconid weevil parasitoids intro- In fact, it was often stated that the existence been made to edit the individual contribu- duced into New Zealand were generally of alternative hosts was an advantage in tions so as to avoid repetition and improve predictive of post-release field results. maintaining natural enemy populations readability – for example, most chapters Peter Follett et al. describe studies on the when the target pest was scarce or absent. begin with similar statements defining bio- Decisions relating to the introduction, impact of introduced parasitoids on logical control and non-target effects and Hawaiian Pentatomoidea and Jian Duan release and distribution of biological con- cite the same references in support. The trol agents were then taken chiefly by and Russell Messing evaluate non-target grouping of chapters into sections on Per- impacts of introduced fruit fly parasitoids agricultural departments and other institu- spectives, Parasitoids and Predators, tions, working on behalf of farmers. in Hawaii. John Obrycki et al. discuss non- Weeds and, lastly, Pathogens is not the target effects of the introduction of gener- The situation changed dramatically with most satisfactory arrangement as chapters alist aphidophagous Coccinellidae into the the rise of concern for the environment and describing the past, current effort to avoid continental USA. Toni Withers et al.out- the preservation of biodiversity. Biological future problems, and techniques for detec- line the procedures used in Australia for control practitioners who had proclaimed tion or evaluation of non-target effects risk assessment of weed control agents, the advantages of relatively target specific occur in each section. Most contributions using an example of an agent recently control over the use of broad-spectrum are concerned with the long term impact of approved for release. Svata Louda summa- chemicals suddenly found themselves introduced agents but the chapter on Trich- rizes her ongoing work on the adverse accused of causing extinctions and other ogramma (David Orr et al.) in the impact of the introduced weevil, Rhinoc- irreversible environmental damage. At first Parasitoid and Predators section and the yllus conicus, on native American thistles those questioning the practice of biological three chapters in the Pathogen section deal and in the next chapter the background to control focused chiefly on introduced with the, chiefly short term, consequences this work is discussed by James Nechols in agents, quoting supposed examples of non- of augmenting entomopathogenic fungi an overview of musk thistle (Carduus target effects on native species, many of and nematodes and the effects of Bt sprays nutans) control in North America. them based on hearsay or speculation. Doc- on non-target forest Lepidoptera. There is umented examples are required so as to no editorial comment, except in the Several of chapters deal, in part, with tech- move from accusation to rational debate Preface, and no conclusion or synthesis to niques for evaluating non-target effects but founded on facts and from there towards complete the work. the contribution by Jane Memmott is News 45N devoted entirely to describing food webs tributors are judgmental but neglect to In conclusion, the book provides a useful and their potential as a tool for qualitative allow for changing attitudes and the pres- compendium of views, case histories and and quantitative analysis of interactions sures placed on practitioners to find techniques which will stimulate further between plants, herbivores and natural solutions to what were perceived to be debate rather than a balanced overview of enemies. major threats to agriculture. Other authors the subject or a recipe for future action. recognise the need to strike a balance So, to answer the question, the book pro- *Follett, P.A.; Duan, J.J. (eds) (1999) between economic necessity and pre- vides fuel for thought and some facts for Nontarget effects of biological control. serving the environment so that biological discussion but is very much concerned with Boston; Kluwer Academic Publishers, the USA and the problems resulting from a control can continue to be used as an effec- 316pp.ISBN0792377257. decentralized nation state and a multiplicity tive means of providing long term Price: US$140.00; UK£96.75; of agencies participating in biological con- suppression of exotic arthropod pests, plant Dutch Guilders 325. trol. Much of the book dwells on past pathogens and weeds with minimal distur- actions and their consequences, some con- bance of non-target species.  46N BiocontrolNews and Information 2000 Vol. 21 No. 2