DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3180.2011.00879.x
Prospects for biological control of Ambrosia artemisiifolia in Europe: learning from the past
E GERBER*, U SCHAFFNER*, A GASSMANN*, H L HINZ*, M SEIER & HMU¨ LLER-SCHA¨ RER *CABI Europe-Switzerland, Dele´mont, Switzerland, CABI Europe-UK, Egham, Surrey, UK, and Department of Biology, Unit of Ecology & Evolution, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
Received 18 November 2010 Revised version accepted 16 June 2011 Subject Editor: Paul Hatcher, Reading, UK
management approach. Two fungal pathogens have Summary been reported to adversely impact A. artemisiifolia in the The recent invasion by Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common introduced range, but their biology makes them unsuit- ragweed) has, like no other plant, raised the awareness able for mass production and application as a myco- of invasive plants in Europe. The main concerns herbicide. In the native range of A. artemisiifolia, on the regarding this plant are that it produces a large amount other hand, a number of herbivores and pathogens of highly allergenic pollen that causes high rates of associated with this plant have a very narrow host range sensitisation among humans, but also A. artemisiifolia is and reduce pollen and seed production, the stage most increasingly becoming a major weed in agriculture. sensitive for long-term population management of this Recently, chemical and mechanical control methods winter annual. We discuss and propose a prioritisation have been developed and partially implemented in of these biological control candidates for a classical or Europe, but sustainable control strategies to mitigate inundative biological control approach against its spread into areas not yet invaded and to reduce its A. artemisiifolia in Europe, capitalising on past experi- abundance in badly infested areas are lacking. One ences from North America, Asia and Australia. management tool, not yet implemented in Europe but Keywords: common ragweed, non-native ⁄ exotic weed, successfully applied in Australia, is biological control. biological control, integrated weed management, herbi- Almost all natural enemies that have colonised vory, fungi. A. artemisiifolia in Europe are polyphagous and cause little damage, rendering them unsuitable for a system
GERBER E, SCHAFFNER U, GASSMANN A, HINZ HL, SEIER M&MU¨ LLER-SCHA¨ RER H (2011). Prospects for biological control of Ambrosia artemisiifolia in Europe: learning from the past. Weed Research 51, 559–573.
Introduction economic or ecological effects of biotic invasions in Europe began to increase only recently (Hulme et al., In Europe, as in most other regions of the world, the 2009). Because of this, regulation and management of number of alien plant species has increased considerably exotic species in Europe is less advanced than elsewhere in the past 200 years as a result of increasing trade, (Hulme et al., 2009). Yet, Europe is also suffering from tourism and disturbance (Pysˇ ek et al., 2009). However, invasive species, and a crude estimate of monetary in contrast to North America, South Africa, Australia impact (costs of damage and control) suggests that this or New Zealand, serious concern about the negative exceeds €12 billion annually (Kettunen et al., 2009).
Correspondence: Urs Schaffner, CABI Europe-Switzerland, 2800 Dele´ mont, Switzerland. Tel: (+41) 32 4214877; Fax: (+41) 32 4214871; E-mail: u.schaff[email protected]