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Exceptional Successes with Biological Control of Invasive Cacti in the North-Western Grasslands

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Exceptional Successes with Biological Control of Invasive Cacti in the North-Western Grasslands Exceptional successes with biological control of invasive cacti in the north-western grasslands Helmuth Zimmermann & Hildegard Klein Helmuth Zimmermann & Associates (Central) Plant Protection Research Institute, ARC, Pretoria Contents • Introduction to invasive alien plants in the north-western grasslands • The invasive cacti • History of control • Recent biological control successes Cochineal biotypes and the new association effect Before-and-after results of using new biotypes of Dactylopius species • Dealing with new emerging cactus invaders • Conclusion Invasive alien plants in the north-western grasslands Western North West Province Northern Cape North-east Western Cape North-west Free State North-western grasslands Transformer invasive alien plants in the north-western grasslands • Cactus species •Prosopis species and hybrids •Tamarix species The main invaders Prosopis hybrids Tamarix spp The main invaders: the Cacti The cactus species Important species Opuntia Chollas Others Opuntia ficus-indica Cylindropuntia fulgida var. fulgida Tephrocactus auriculata Opuntia stricta Cylindropuntia fulgida var. mamillata Trichocereus schickendantzii Opuntia humifusa Cylindropuntia imbricata Harrisia martinii Opuntia aurantiaca Cylindropuntia pallida Opuntia engelmannii Cylindropuntia leptocaulis Emerging species Cylindropuntia spinosior Opuntia elata Trichocereus pachanoi Harrisia tortuosa The main invaders: cactus species Cylindropuntia pallida Cylindropuntia fulgida var. fulgida The main invaders: cactus species Cylindropuntia fulgida var. mamillata Cylindropuntia imbricata The main invaders: cactus species Opuntia engelmannii Opuntia stricta The main invaders: cactus species Opuntia humifusa Opuntia aurantiaca Chemical control: effective but VERY costly and a serious hazard to the environment. Two Biological Control Agents 1. Cactoblastis cactorum. This biological control agent is important in the biocontrol of Opuntia species. It is effective against small plants. It played a major role in the biological control of prickly pear: Opuntia ficus indica. Biological control agents: the Cochineals 2. Dactylopius opuntiae • Biotype “ficus-indica” Biotypes and the NEW ASSOCIATION effect This entails using biocontrol agents that have • Biotype “stricta” not shared a recent history of intensive 3. Dactylopius tomentosa interaction in evolutionary time with their • Biotype “imbricata” host. • Biotype “cholla” 4. Dactylopius austrinus The case of Dactylopius tomentosa and the biocontrol of Cylindropuntia fulgida Dactylopius tomentosus collected from Cylindropuntia fulgida in its native range in Mexico was ineffective. The case of Dactylopius tomentosa and the biocontrol of Cylindropuntia fulgida (cont.) …. but the same cochineal species from a related but geographically separated cactus species achieved spectacular control of C. fulgida = New Association effect. Dactylopius tomentosus (“cholla” biotype) on Cylindropuntia cholla in Baja California (Mexico) The results……… (Chollas) Before (2013) Dactylopius tomentosus “cholla” biotype Boxing glove cholla After 2015 Monitoring the decline of the boxing glove population Monitoring the effect of biocontrol : Results A. Groblershoop (Grassland) 300 3500 450 400 3000 250 350 2500 300 200 2000 250 150 Feb.2015 200 1500 150 100 July.2015 1000 100 50 Dec.2015 500 50 0 0 0 Number of plants in 200 m² m² in 200 plants of Number Isolated Medium Large plants cladodes Size Plants and small plants 90% decrease 99% decrease 86% decrease Further results … Heuningvlei, 100 kn NE of Kuruman: 2015 Further results The results……… Before 2008 After 2011 Chain fruit cholla Cylindropuntia fulgida. var. fulgida From this …… to this in 2 years The results……. Cylindropuntia imbricata Using Dactylopius tomentosa biotype “imbricata” The results……. Cylindropuntia leptocaulis using Dactylopius tomentosa biotype “imbricata” The results……. (prickly Pears: Opuntia spp) Opuntia ficus-indica 1932 Dactylopius opuntiae “ficus” biotype 1935 The results……. (cont.) Dactylopius opuntiae “stricta” biotype Opuntia stricta: 2012 2014 Heuningvlei Opuntia stricta in the KNP 1997 2002 Monitoring progress Cochineal – Dactylopius opuntiae “stricta” + biotype 50 8 7 40 2 6 - 30 5 4 20 Cladodes m Cladodes 3 2 abundance cochineal 10 1 0 0 The results……. (cont.) The “stricta” biotype was also used to control other Opuntia humifusa. The results……. (cont.) Biological control Dactylopius austrinus Opuntia aurantiaca Vaal River between Warrenton and Schmidtdrift 1980 The results……. (Harrisia martinii) 20 km South-east of Kimberley Hypogeococcus festerianus About 1988 Unresolved Problems Opuntia engelmannii Douglas, Prieska, North-western Freestate Groblershoop New emerging invaders: Early Detection & Rapid Response Programmes Opuntia elata Beaufort West Graaff-Reinet New emerging invaders: Early Detection & Rapid Response Programmes Harrisia tortuosa Tephrocactus articulatus Douglas Far Northern Cape New emerging invaders: Early Detection & Rapid Response Programmes Cylindropuntia spinosior Cylindropuntia pallida Cylindropuntia spinosior Cylindropuntia pallida Flinders Range Queensland, Australia Southern Australia Q Conclusions • Biological control does offer inexpensive and lasting solutions to most of our cactus invasions. • However, the chances for biological control of invaders in the Opuntioideae are compromised by the importance of commercially cultivated cactus pear. • Early detection of new invaders and their immediate control is the most cost-effective method to prevent future disasters. • But many new invaders are just waiting to escape! Thank you. .
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