News 99N

General News

RHD after One Year in New The Foundation for Research, Science and 40 days. Carcasses were found over the Zealand Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture whole baited area soon after the baiting. and Forests, and regional governments At the natural epidemic site, the daily initiated a research programme in death rate peaked at day 20 and new Last year BNI [18, 100N-101N] reported August 1997. The programme is led by carcasses were still being found up to 80 on the illegal introduction of the rabbit Landcare Research working on the field days after the first death was recorded. calicivirus disease RCD (now reverted epidemiology of RHD, but includes a to its original name of Rabbit Haemor- consortium of other research agencies rhagic Disease or RHD) into New Zea- Sera from shot rabbits were tested for (AgResearch, the Rural Futures Trust, land. Readers will recall that in July antibodies to RHD using a competitive and Massey, Auckland and Lincoln uni- 1 1997 the Ministry of Agriculture had ELISA test developed in Italy . We used versities) investigating virology, vector a 1:40 dilution and assumed ‘inhibition’ declined an application to import the behaviour, predation effects, epidemi- virus as a biological control for rabbits, levels above 50% indicated immunity to ology and modelling. Some results of RHD. No rabbits (out of 60) were largely because of the lack of certainty Landcare Research’s work to date are immune on the natural site before the about its benefits and risks. The virus described here. epidemic, but this increased to 31% (n = was imported by persons unknown, 62) immediately after the epidemic. probably before the Ministry decision Status of RHD in New Zealand Eight per cent of rabbits (n = 60) were had been made, and released and immune on the biocide site before the spread by farmers in late August 1997 The disease has been spread, by people epidemic (presumably because the using a variety of bait concoctions. This and naturally, over most of the country farmer did some spot baiting before blatant breach of New Zealand’s border with variable effects on the rabbits. mass biociding) and this increased to biosecurity system caused considerable Mortality rates, where measured, have 43% (n = 60) immediately after. There anger in government agencies and varied from zero to 94% with reduc- were no differences in the levels of among many members of the public, tions of around 60-70% being common. immunity between these two sites, but exacerbated by the cavalier attitudes of Generally, natural epidemics have been more consistently successful than the other studies have shown higher levels some farmers. However, I am happy to various attempts at using RHD on baits. of immunity after biociding than after report that the initial stand-off between Largely to avoid the haphazard use of natural epidemics. The proportion of farmers and government reported in concoctions of virus obtained from antibody-positive rabbits among the the earlier article has been ameliorated dead rabbits in the field, a known lethal cohort that was alive before the spring somewhat by their common need to strain of the virus is now commercially 1997 epidemics has since declined on find out how the disease has worked. available to farmers in New Zealand. both sites, although the levels of anti- Everyone wanted to know whether bodies in those that were positive RHD, rabbits, and conventional control Field Epidemiology of RHD remained high. One explanation for this could be managed, or at least the out- might be that rabbits that survive infec- comes of the disease predicted, so that We compared the behaviour of RHD at tion have higher mortality rates than two sites in Central Otago, one where benefits could be maximized and risks rabbits that were never infected, i.e. the RHD was released by mass aerial minimized. disease is not without cost even if the baiting (biociding), and the other where lives. Challenge trials indicate it arrived naturally. Indices of rabbit New Zealand has major exotic verte- that loss of antibodies does not neces- abundance declined by 67% (from 68 brate pest problems and invests about sarily mean loss of immunity to further and 35 rabbits per spotlight kilometre, NZ$100 million a year on their control challenge. and on research. However, most of the respectively) on both sites during the spring 1997 epidemic. Rabbit abun- impacts of these pests remain unre- dance remained static for the next three Fresh rabbit carcasses appeared in a solved and biological control offers the months and then declined at a rate down-wind direction on both sites, at a only sustainable widespread solution greater than expected for that time of rate of about 100 m/day. A number of for many of these problem . The year to a low of ten and three rabbits per fly species were carrying RHD virus, use of RHD is the first modern attempt spotlight kilometre, respectively, in and preliminary work by AgResearch in New Zealand at biological control of June 1998. Numbers have begun to showed some rabbits became infected a vertebrate pest, and it would be a 2 increase again with the start of a new and died when exposed to flies . Scav- great pity if the unfortunate way it was breeding season, and reached 16 and engers presumably play a role in dis- introduced blighted future considera- five per kilometre in August 1998. seminating virus by opening carcasses tion of other biocontrol agents. This, and exposing infected tissues to flies. and the need to understand how it has At the biocided site, the daily death rate More fresh rabbit carcasses were scav- worked, has overridden some of the (indicated by the presence of fresh enged during the natural epidemic anger at its origin and brought many of rabbit carcasses along fixed transects) (41%, n = 157) than during the biocide the stakeholders together in a common peaked three days after the biociding, (18%, n = 127). Predicting the timing cause. and few new carcasses were found after and intensity of epidemics will partly

Are we on your mailing list? BiocontrolNews and Information is always pleased to receive news of research, conferences, new products or patents, changes in personnel, collaborative agreements or any other information of interest to other readers. If your organization sends out press releases or newsletters, please let us have a copy. In addition, the editors welcome proposals for review topics. 100N BiocontrolNews and Information 1998 Vol. 19 No. 4 depend on understanding the role of whether the factor is similar to the sodium monofluoroacetate (Com- vectors. European non-pathogenic virus, and (c) pound 1080)7. This compared with only whether it imparts any immunity to 23% ± 4% egg loss (averaged from 12 A unique symptom among seropositive rabbits challenged with RHD virus. sites) during subsequent breeding sea- survivors, observed only in New Zea- sons when no rabbit control was con- land, is that a small proportion have lost In March 1998, we captured 64 rabbits ducted. Preliminary data from the their ears. from areas of New Zealand where RHD breeding season during the 1997 RHD had not been reported. Serum from epidemic indicated that 56% ± 10% Antibody Status of Other Species each was taken at capture, and one and (averaged from four sites) of eggs were six months after challenge with RHD. Feral cats, ferrets, harrier hawks, and to lost to predators where rabbit abun- Each sample was tested at four dilu- dance was originally high (up to 50 rab- a lesser extent hedgehogs, use rabbits as tions (1:10, 1:40, 1:160 and 1:640) using a food source either by scavenging or bits per spotlight kilometre) and both the competition ELISA specific for population declines were pronounced predation. By eating rabbits that have RHD and a less-specific indirect ‘sand- died of, or are infected with, RHD they (up to 90%). This is a similar predation wich’ ELISA used by the Applicant rate to that reported after rabbit poi- may produce antibodies in response to Group to measure the presence of any the virus, as occurs in foxes3. Our objec- soning. The longer-term implications caliciviruses. All rabbits were orally for dotterel populations, and for other tive was to determine whether any dosed after the first sample of serum predators, scavengers, or hares pro- native prey, are unknown. Continued was taken and the survivors again after monitoring during subsequent breeding duced an antibody response when six months. Each dose was 50 LD s of exposed to rabbits with RHD. 50 seasons will quantify the longer-term the Czech-strain of RHD virus, obtained effects of RHD on these native bird pop- We collected serum samples from pred- from the Elizabeth MacArthur Institute ulations. ators and scavengers, from an area of in Victoria. 1 mass biociding and from spot-baited Capucci, L.; Frigoli, G.; Rønsholt, L.; We found that: 14 rabbits survived chal- Lavazza, A.; Brocchi, E.; Rossi, C. (1995) areas, during February and May 1998. lenge including one that was seroposi- The samples were tested for RHD anti- Antigenicity of the rabbit hemorrhagic tive before the first challenge and one disease virus studied by its reactivity bodies using the competitive ELISA test that did not sero-convert at the first at 1:40 dilution. We found that: 53% (n = with monoclonal antibodies. Virus challenge but died at the second chal- Research 37, 221-238. 51) of cats, 10% (n = 51) of ferrets, 11% (n lenge; all but one of the survivors were = 18) of hawks and 3% (n = 30) of hedge- positive to ‘factor x’, the negative sur- 2 Barratt, B. I. P.; Ferguson, C. M.; hogs were seropositive (those with vivor was a juvenile; all adult rabbits, Heath, A. C. G.; Evans, A. A.; Logan, R. greater than 50% inhibition); there was both survivors and victims of the chal- A. S. (in press) Can transmit a bimodal distribution of antibody lenge, were positive to ‘factor x’, but rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus? Pro- levels for all animals except cats; the only six of 22 juvenile rabbits, i.e. those ceedings of the 51st New Zealand Plant proportion of seropositive animals was born in the previous breeding season, Protection Society. higher in February than in May; were positive to ‘factor x’. although about equal numbers of male 3 Leighton, F. A.; Artois, M.; Capucci, L.; and female ferrets were sampled, only ‘Factor x’ clearly does not guarantee Gavier-Widen, D.; Morisse, J.-P. (1995) female adults were seropositive. No immunity to RHD, which means that it Antibody response to rabbit viral hem- juveniles were seropositive, which sug- will not affect the outcomes resulting orrhagic disease virus in red foxes gests ferrets had to be alive during the from the presence of RHD virus – unless (Vulpes vulpes) consuming livers of epidemic and that RHD was not active it is a calicivirus and recombines with infected rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). at these sites in 1998; no hares (n = 34) RHD virus. Lack of cross-immunity is Journal of Wildlife Diseases 31, 541-544. from the Mackenzie Basin, where RHD not unexpected given the high preva- had occurred, were seropositive; and in lence of ‘factor x’ in the Applicant 4 Capucci, L.; Fusi, P.; Lavassa, A.; Pac- areas where RHD had apparently not Group’s survey yet high mortality rates ciarini, M. L.; Rossi, C. (1996) Detection occurred, no predators or scavengers during the initial RHD epidemics in and preliminary characterization of a were seropositive. New Zealand. The question remains new rabbit calicivirus related to rabbit whether ‘factor x’ is a calicivirus hemorrhagic disease virus but non- Pre-existing Viruses descended from the benign rabbit calici- pathogenic. Journal of Virology 70, 8614- virus. 8623. A non-pathogenic rabbit calicivirus, thought to be the ancestor of RHD, has 5 Chasey, D.; Trout, R. C.; Sharp, G.; 4 Ecological Consequences of RHD been identified in Europe , and it Edwards, S. (1997) Seroepidemiology of appears to impart immunity to the Rabbits are the main food of three pred- rabbit haemorrhagic disease in wild 5 pathogenic virus . Before the arrival of ator species (ferrets, cats, and harrier rabbits in the UK and susceptibility to RHD in New Zealand, the New Zea- hawks). Increased consumption of infection. In: Chasey, D.; Gaskell, R. M.; land Applicant Group conducted a native prey of secondary importance in Clarke, I. N. (eds) Proceedings of the 1st serological survey of wild rabbits using predators’ diets is commonly observed International Symposium on Calicivi- various ELISA tests some of which after declines in rabbit abundance. This ruses, pp. 156-162. showed high titres of ‘factor x’, and they is corroborated by studies of predation concluded that this was evidence of a on banded dotterels in braided river- 6 Lough, R. S. (1998) Factors which may benign calicivirus being already present beds. The proportion of banded dot- limit the long term effectiveness of in a high proportion of wild rabbits6. terel eggs lost to predators was 52% ± rabbit calicivirus disease in New Zea- The questions remain (a) whether this 7% shortly after the rabbits were con- land. Unpublished report to the New conclusion is correct, and, if so, (b) trolled with baits poisoned with Zealand RCD Applicant Group, 12 pp. News 101N

7 Rebergen, A.; Keedwell, R.; Moller, H.; Forest Research Institute (KFRI) (in col- establishment. The authorities are in the Maloney, R. (1998) Breeding success laboration with CABI Bioscience) in process of attempting total eradication. and predation at nests of banded dot- 1997-98 indicated that the range of the Most of the infestation has already been terel (Charadrius bicinctus) on braided weed is much greater than previously removed by the Department of Natural river beds in the central South Island, supposed; it is very variable in form Resources (DNR). It is now a matter of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of and, in many areas, is extremely inva- monitoring the site and removing all Ecology 22, 33-41. sive. Its climbing habit enables it to the small plants that are regrowing reach and smother the canopy of small from fragments – the plant is not easy to By: John Parkes, RHD Research Pro- trees. Mikania can grow from the find especially while small. gramme Leader, Landcare Research, smallest of cuttings and almost any PO Box 69, Lincoln, New Zealand node touching the ground will root. It Information on mikania, particularly in E-mail: [email protected] has a rapid growth rate and produces relation to the threat to Australia, can be ❑ copious quantities of wind-borne seed found on the Internet at: from small, creamy-white, mildly http://www.dpie.gov.au/aqis/ Mikania Weed Broadens its scented tubular florets whose pollen and homepage/public/industry/ milemin.html Range nectar attract large numbers of bees, wasps, flies and butterflies. Further information on the Australian The tropical world is awakening to the mikania infestations, plant identifica- The damage caused by mikania’s creeping threat of the invasive weed tion, and some predictions for its smothering growth characteristics may mikania, Mikania micrantha. A perennial spread are at: be compounded by allelopathic proper- vine in the New World tribe Eupato- www.agric.wa.gov.au/progserv/ ties. Anecdotal evidence of this riaceae, which contains many other plants/weeds/climate/mikania.htm well-known weed species such as Siam abounds, but the only firm evidence weed (Chromolaena odorata), Crofton comes from studies on its impact in Contact: Sean Murphy, CABI Bio- weed (Ageratina adenophora) and mist- rubber in Malaysia, where the weed science UK Centre (Ascot), Silwood flower (A. riparia), it is now recognized retarded plant growth through the pro- Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7TA, as one of the world’s most serious trop- duction of allelopathic substances. UK. ical weeds. Originating from Central E-mail: [email protected] and South America, mikania is wide- In the 1980s, the possibility of using Fax: +44 1491 829123 spread in tropical Asia, including India, agents for biocontrol of the weed Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, and was investigated, but these efforts were For Australia: Reece Luxton, Land Pro- has recently been reported from Nepal. dogged by problems of predation of the tection Officer, Qld Dept of Natural It also occurs in Papua New Guinea, the agents after introduction. However, the Resources, C/ Centre for Wet Tropics Solomon Islands, the Philippines, potential of co-evolved exotic patho- Agriculture, PO Box 20, South John- Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean gens is now being recognized, and in stone, Qld. 4859, Australia. and Pacific Ocean islands including Fiji particular there are exciting prospects E-mail : [email protected] and Western Samoa. Earlier this year it for a highly specific neotropical rust Fax: +61 7 4064 2249 was recorded for the first time from fungus, Puccinia spegazzinii, collected ❑ Australia, and subsequent investiga- during surveys in Trinidad and Brazil. tions suggested it may have been in Studies conducted by CABI Bioscience Eradication of White- north Queensland for as long as ten and Viçosa University (Minas Gerais, spotted Tussock in years. Brazil) have shown this species to be New Zealand highly pathogenic to the Indian bio- In India, mikania occurs in the north- types of the weed, and host specificity A two-year campaign costing US$12 east and southwest of the country. One tests indicate that it is restricted to M. million has resulted in the eradication major route of entry was its introduc- micrantha and does not extend its range of the white-spotted tussock moth tion as a cover crop and purportedly as to even closely related species within (Orgyia thyellina) in New Zealand. camouflage for airfields in the 1940s in the genus Mikania. It thus has great northeastern India where it has since potential for use in mikania’s adventive Native to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and become naturalized. It is now causing range as a classical biocontrol agent. China, the moth was found infesting substantial yield losses in smallholder Auckland’s eastern suburbs in April agroforestry systems, in tea, oil palm, In Australia, mikania is one of the pri- 1996. Little biological information was rubber, teak and sal (Shorea robusta) mary target weeds of the Northern available on the insect which is only plantations, and in many crops Australia Quarantine Strategy and is a occasionally a pest in its home range. including bamboo, reed, plantains and prohibited weed on Commonwealth Quarantine populations reared at pineapples. It has also invaded natural and State lists. It is a threat to the Forest Research in Rotorua were used evergreen, semi-evergreen and moist narrow wet tropical coastal belt of for life cycle studies, host determina- deciduous forests and is threatening northern Australia which includes pres- tion, toxicity testing, pheromone devel- biodiversity in national parks, for tigious national parks such as Kakadu. opment – and for rearing a field example the Royal Chitwan National Some argue that its potential Australian monitoring population. Feeding trials Park in Nepal. However, in its natural distribution covers a broader area. demonstrated that the caterpillars had a habitat mikania is a component of However, at present mikania exists as a strong preference for members of the aquatic ecosystems such as marshes very small infestation (20-30 m² per- Rosaceae, including pip and stone fruit, and riverbanks and is rarely seen out- haps) and a few garden specimens and also maple, birch and willow. side of these. Surveys conducted in Kar- around Mission Beach, north Queens- Given the history of destruction inflicted nataka and Kerala States by Kerala land, where the climate is ideal for its by other lymantriids (gypsy moth and 102N BiocontrolNews and Information 1998 Vol. 19 No. 4

Douglas fir tussock moth) and the this season involved the use of live Off With Their Heads unpredictability of exotic insects in new caged females. In the period December environments, it was considered to be a 1996 – January 1997, 68 first generation The phorid now being released in serious threat to New Zealand’s forests males were caught in 46 out of 250 Florida, Pseudacteon tricuspis, was one of and trees – with amenity, shelter and traps, and these were all contained eight species of fire ant decapitating garden trees primarily at risk, but horti- within the known infested area. A fur- flies studied in and around the culture and forests also threatened. ther six were caught in April, Embrapa National Research Centre for arguably late second/early third gener- Environmental Monitoring and Impact A response strategy was developed. As ation individuals. Monitoring con- Assessment in Jaguariúna, Sao Paulo the infestation was confined to an area tinued into late June but no further State in Brazil between January and of 300 ha, which with a buffer zone gave moths were caught. June 1996. These flies are widely distrib- an operational area to be treated of uted, host specific, and also interfere some 4000 ha, it was agreed that eradi- No spraying was conducted in the with fire ant foraging, so were identi- cation should be attempted. Code- 1997/98 season, given the level of fied as promising prospective agents named ‘Operation Evergreen’, this spraying the previous year and the for a biological control programme. began in spring 1996. The insect over- absence of live moths since the previous Seven of the species were reared from wintered as egg masses during 1996 on April. Instead, 7000 synthetic phe- egg through to the adult stage, and all plants, fences, houses and outdoor fur- romone traps were deployed over 2000 of them were found to pupate inside the niture. These eggs were expected to properties and risk sites, and these were head capsule of their host. Pupae and hatch in the spring and the first genera- inspected every fortnight from late sexes of the species could not be distin- tion of caterpillars to pupate producing December until mid June. No male guished morphologically at the pupal flight-capable female and male moths. moths were caught, and white-spotted stage, except that females consistently These would then give rise to two fur- tussock moth was declared eradicated emerged from larger hosts. Males of P. ther generations over the summer, the from Auckland’s eastern suburbs in tricuspis readily mated with females final generation of flightless female June 1998. while they were ovipositing in fire ant adults laying over-wintering eggs. workers, but mating in the other species The management of a programme was not observed, so rearing methods Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) which included aerial spraying in a were able to be developed only for P. was found to be effective against the tricuspis. However, P. tricuspis and P. caterpillar, particularly instars I-III. populated area as an essential compo- nent was complex. It included features litoralis were both sufficiently abundant However, the height of the trees meant to be exported to the US Department of that aerial application was necessary. such as advanced flight control, map- ping and aircraft monitoring tech- Agriculture – Agricultural Research The initial operational strategy was to Service (USDA-ARS) in Florida from treat the entire 4000 ha area with up to niques so that the public could be warned just minutes before aircraft the Brazilian Quarantine Laboratory for six aerial applications of Btk (as Foray host specificity testing. 48B at 5 litres/ha) spaced a week apart passed over. Extensive health moni- and beginning soon after egg hatch. The toring was also implemented. Above Further studies (1996-98) in Brazil and aim was to ensure that all caterpillars all, the programme was characterized Florida showed that damp conditions were exposed to at least three applica- by teamwork and collaboration – tions of Btk before they entered the between researchers, operations people, are needed for pupation, and that total fourth instar. However, a protracted policy specialists, communications staff, development time is 4-10 weeks, egg hatching period and the survival of contractors and the Aucklanders. depending on temperature. Adults some first generation larvae led to nine emerge in the morning, and are ready sprays by aircraft over the operational Source: Hosking, G. (1998) White- to mate and parasitize new hosts by area, with a further 14 helicopter appli- spotted tussock moth – an aggressive midday. With current rearing methods, cations to the infested 300 ha area, fin- eradication strategy. Aliens 7, 4-5. about 70% of larvae emerge as adults, ishing in April 1997. In addition, and in Florida at the moment some 400- 600 flies are being reared per day, with weekly ground spraying of more than Contact: Gordon Hosking, Ministry of a growth of 30-40% in each generation. 200 properties was carried out. Agriculture and Forestry, P. O. Box During 1997, flies were released in 2526, Wellington, New Zealand. Florida at three sites near Gainesville Spraying had an immediate impact on Fax: +64 7 345 6861 population levels, and ground searching (800 flies in July, 1200 in September and for residual infestations became less and ❑ 1500 in September-October). Many less effective. This problem had been first-generation flies were found at two foreseen, and a search for a more effec- sites, but they only appear to have been tive monitoring system had been given Fire Ant Update permanently established at the third priority. Commercially available lyman- site where they have been collected triid pheromones proved ineffective, so Last year we described how decapi- monthly since October 1997. So far, efforts focused on the development of a tating phorid flies were being released these flies have survived a winter and a synthetic pheromone. A pheromone in the USA against the imported red fire summer drought. Observations indi- was developed by collaborative work ant, Solenopsis invicta [BNI 18(2), 23N- cate that about half the fire ant colonies involving New Zealand and Canadian 24N]. Here, we give more details of that at this site are attacked. The flies do not (Simon Fraser University) scientists, but work and also outline work behind the yet appear to have expanded out of the this was too late for the 1996-97 spray release of the first pathogen against S. initial release area. Releases for 1998 are programme, and monitoring during invicta in the USA. continuing at four additional sites. News 103N

Checking the Queen 34034-0001, Argentina. This strategy is being compared with E-mail: [email protected] the use of methyl bromide and an inte- Now USDA-ARS scientists have grated control strategy using granular released fire ant brood infected with a For a new Internet manual, ‘Micro- nematicides for the control of root knot microsporidian, Thelohania solenopsae, at sporidia (Protozoa): a handbook of nematodes on vegetable crops in sites in nine states (Arkansas, Oklahoma, biology and research techniques’ see: southern Europe The programme is Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, South http://www.ars-grin.gov/ars/ funded by the European Commission Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and North SoAtlantic/Gainesville/location.html and includes laboratories in Crete, Italy, Carolina), following test releases in Portugal, Spain and the UK. Details of Florida. Originally identified in Brazil in ❑ the programme can be found on the 1973, it is the most common pathogen in Internet at: fire ants in South America. It was dis- Root-knot Nematodes: www.area.ba.cnr.itreO85acOl/ covered in the USA by ARS scientists in bkfair3444.html 1996 in fire ant colonies in Florida, Mis- Could Biocontrol Replace sissippi and Texas. This is the first Methyl Bromide? The programme began in March 1998 micro-organism to be evaluated in and a Workshop Manual has been pro- South America as a potential biological It has been known since the early 1980s duced which covers the methods used control agent of the fire ant in the USA. that some nematode pests can be con- for working with V. chlamydosporium. trolled effectively by nematophagous The manual includes methods for the The pathogen infects fire ant colonies fungi and bacteria. The most studied isolation, selection and evaluation of and chronically weakens them. case of natural control concerns the isolates in laboratory and field tests and Workers transmit the pathogen to the cereal cyst nematode in cereal monocul- describes studies on risk assessment queen via food exchange. The disease tures in northern Europe where two and visualising the fungus in the rhizo- slowly reduces her weight. She lays species of fungi, Nematophthora sphere. It is anticipated that the manual fewer and fewer eggs, all infected with gynophila and Verticillium chlamydospo- will be published by the International the pathogen. Field work in Argentina rium, effectively control this wide- Organization for Biological Control indicated that fire ant mounds were less spread pest. These agents provide the (IOBC). dense in a Thelohania-infested area, most sustainable method of nematode infected colonies had smaller mounds, management in intensive agriculture By: Brian Kerry, Entomology and Nema- and sexual brood was present less fre- and today plant breeders no longer tology Department, IACR-Rothamsed, quently than in uninfected colonies. It incorporate cyst nematode resistant Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK. was also found that infection increased genes into elite cultivars. However, E-mail: [email protected] the mortality rate and shortened the such natural control is slow to establish Fax: +44 1582 760981 longevity of fire ant colonies reared and difficult to exploit. ❑ under laboratory conditions. Although colony elimination can take from nine Work continues at IACR-Rothamsted News from India to 18 months, infected colonies were in the UK with V. chlamydosporium but found to be smaller than healthy colo- with an isolate that is active against Progress at PDBC nies after only three months. The devel- root-knot nematodes. All species of opment of better infection techniques these major pests are found to be sus- Highlights of research work conducted and methods to mass produce the ceptible to the fungus which destroys at the Project Directorate of Biological microsporidian is now underway. the eggs and may reduce fecundity. The Control (PDBC) in Bangalore and at its fungus is very variable and isolates 16 coordinating centres spread over dif- Contact: [for phorids]: Luiz Alexandre which do not colonize the rhizosphere ferent parts of India in 1997-98* Nogueira de Sá, Laboratório de do not provide control. The host plant included devising an acrylic, multicel- Quarentena “Costa Lima”, Embrapa has a major effect on the efficacy of the lular rearing unit for Helicoverpa Meio Ambiente, Caixa Postal 69, CEP fungus, affecting both the amount of armigera. The unit, which provides 80- 13820-000 Jaguariúna, SP, Brazil. fungus able to develop in the rhizo- 90% larval survival, is transparent, E-mail: [email protected] sphere and the multiplication of the durable, amenable to surface steriliza- Fax: +55 19 867 8740 nematode. Verticillium chlamydosporium tion and made of indigenous materials. Internet: http://www.bdt.org.br/bdt/ is most effective on plants which sup- Advances were also made in identi- biocontrol/ port extensive growth in the rhizo- fying and investigating organisms with [or] Sanford Porter, USDA-ARS, sphere and on plants which are potential for biocontrol in a range of CMAVE, PO Box 14565, Gainesville, FL relatively poor hosts for the nematode systems. This included the description 32604, USA. and produce only small galls in of new predatory coccinellids in the E-mail: [email protected] response to nematode attack. The genera Pseudoscymnus and Serangium, Fax: +1 352 374 5818 fungus is confined to the rhizosphere and the development of an endosulfan- [for microsporidians] David Williams and on highly susceptible crops too tolerant strain of Trichogramma [for or David Oi, USDA-ARS CMAVE, PO many egg masses remain embedded in details of this see: BNI 19(3), 74N-75N]. Box 14565, Gainesville, FL 32604, USA. the large galls produced and so escape E-mail: [email protected] or parasitism. A biomanagement strategy Entomophilic nematodes (Steinernema [email protected] has been developed in which the spp.) were isolated from elevations of Fax: +1 352 374 5984 fungus is applied to specific poor hosts 107-2200 m above sea level and were [or] Juan Briano, USDA-ARS, SABCL, in the cropping cycle to enhance their found to be predominant in sandy loam Agr. Couns. ARS Lab, US Embassy efficiency in reducing nematode infes- and clay loam soils. One isolate Buenos Aires, Unit 4325 APO AA tations before the next susceptible crop. (PDBCEN 6.11) caused the death of 104N BiocontrolNews and Information 1998 Vol. 19 No. 4

Plutella xylostella and Mallada astur was predominant on which is now being developed by an larvae within a day of inoculation, and guava and about 230 nymphs of spiral- EPPO panel. Both the EPPO-IIBC work- of H. armigera, Spodoptera litura and Cor- ling whitefly were consumed by a shop and the EPPO panel stressed the cyra cephalonica within two days. single larva in 10-12 days. The efficacy urgency of needing scientific methods of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri in control- to evaluate the risks of introduced nat- A number of microbial agents were ling the green shield scale Chloropulvi- ural enemies to indigenous non-target shown to have promising activity. Pseu- naria psidii on guava was demonstrated species – EPPO already has pest risk domonas putida PDBC No. 19 was found at Kestur village near Bangalore. analysis methods agreed and estab- to completely inhibit growth of Sclero- lished for European plant protection In Assam, successful control of water tium rolfsii in dual culture. From a services, into which new protocols for hyacinth was achieved by the exotic number of Trichoderma and Gliocladium evaluating the safety of biological con- isolates tested, T. harzianum isolate weevils Neochetina eichhorniae and N. trol agents could be fitted. PDBC TH2 and G. virens gave greatest bruchi in Disangmnukh area of Sibsagar inhibition of mycelial growth in S. district and less flowering was observed rolfsii. Gliocladium virens isolate Pl 1 in the remaining water hyacinth areas Coordinated by Professor Heikki (GV) was found to be a potent antago- of Sibsagar district. Hokkanen (University of Helsinki) in nist in vitro against Fusarium oxysporum collaboration with teams led by him f. sp. gladioli, which causes gladiolus In Kerala, Orthogalumna terebrantis has and Dr Franz Bigler (Swiss Federal corm rot and yellows. established over all the release sites Research Station for Agroecology and giving partial suppression of water Agriculture), Dr Jeff Waage (CABI Bio- The disease antagonist T. harzianum hyacinth. science), Professor Giorgio Celli (Uni- PDBC TH2 along with T. koningii, G. versity of Bologna) and Professor Joop virens and G. deliquescens were all effec- Golden Jubilee Celebration van Lenteren (Wageningen Agricul- tive against the nematode Meloidogyne tural University), the project is focusing The Project Directorate of Biological incognita, causing 94.5% mortality. on the exotic biological control agents Control celebrated 50 years of India's Finally, seed germination and the seed- most widely used in Europe today. In- Independence by organizing monthly ling vigour index of parthenium weed seminars, cultural programmes, group depth case studies and population were greatly reduced at different con- discussions and exhibitions running modelling will be used to evaluate centrations of culture filtrates of G. from 15 August 1997 to 15 August 1998. these. The effect of alien generalist and virens. The seminars covered varied topics specialist predators and parasitoids will including: ‘Success of biological con- be studied on local non-target organ- Around the Regions... trol’ [in Hindi], ‘Management of agri- isms, particularly key beneficial species. The effects of microbial natural enemies In cotton in Andhra Pradesh, Biointen- cultural research’, ‘Special statistical will also be evaluated. sive Integrated Pest Management techniques’, ‘Cultural programmes’, (BIPM) excelled due to the significant ‘Pest management in horticultural role played by the beneficial insects, crops’, ‘Entomophilic nematodes’, ‘Bio- The overall objective of this project is to which increased through intercropping logical suppression of plant diseases, facilitate the development of sustain- with groundnut. The seed cotton yield phytoparasitic nematodes and weeds able, biologically based production sys- obtained through the BIPM strategy using disease antagonists’, ‘Predatory tems, in line with the commitments of was highest at 1.827 t/ha. The incre- mites’ and ‘A hundred years of Cryp- many EU governments to reduce use of mental cost-benefit ratio (IBCR) in tolaemus in India’. chemical pesticides. The specific objec- BIPM was high (10.07) compared to tives, which aim to ensure that the *PDBC (1998) Annual Report (1997-98). farmers’ practice (1.55) and judicious introduction and use of biological con- Bangalore, India; Project Directorate of use of insecticide (1.59). trol agents for pest control – a key com- Biological Control, 167 pp. ponent of sustainable agriculture – is In Gujarat, bud and boll damage, By: Dr S. P. Singh, Project Directorate of done in a way which does not put at damage to locules and populations of Biological Control (ICAR), P. B. No. risk non-target organisms are: (1) to sucking pests were significantly lower 2491, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, determine the negative and positive in BIPM modules compared with a con- Bangalore – 560 024, India. effects of different types of biological trol. Parasitism due to Agathis spp. was E-mail: [email protected] pest control for agriculture, the envi- very high. The yield in BIPM plots was Fax: +91 80 3411961 ronment and biodiversity in Europe, (2) significantly higher and also gave a to develop rapid and reliable methods higher ICBR than insecticidal treat- ❑ to assess the potential risk of import ments and the control. Intercropping of and release of biocontrol agents in maize with cotton enhanced the activity Assessing Agent Risk Europe and (3) to design specific Euro- of sexmaculata in BIPM pean guidelines to ensure that biolog- The ERBIC (Evaluating Environmental blocks. Studies revealed that maize, ical control agents which are to be Risks of Biological Control) project was Cassia occidentalis, parthenium weed, introduced are environmentally safe. castor, sunnhemp, marigold, tobacco, set up as a consequence of a workshop etc., harbour various parasitoids/pred- organized by the European Plant Pro- Contact: Professor Heikki Hokkanen, ators of cotton pests. tection Organisation (EPPO) and IIBC in 1996, which recognized that the new Department of Applied Zoology, At Bangalore, an entomopathogenic European guidelines for pest control Latokartanonkaari 5, Box 27, FIN- fungus, Paecilomyces farinosus, was iso- did not take into account the risks of 00014, University of Helsinki, Finland. lated from the spiralling whitefly Aleu- using exotic natural enemies, and pro- rodicus dispersus. The green lacewing posed a new set of European guidelines ❑ News 105N

Biorational

Integrated pest management (IPM) it was granted a US patent in March But what of self-and open-pollinated involves the use of many techniques, entitled ‘Control of plant gene expres- plants? The latter group includes crops including biological control, to provide sion’. This is a complex technology such as maize and sorghum which are effective control of crop pests with min- based on a series of genes which culmi- fundamental to food security in Africa. imum harmful side-effects. Those tech- nates in killing the second generation The parental plants used to produce the niques which are compatible with the use of seed before it can germinate. seed that will be planted by the farmer biological control or have little impact on must contain both toxin and recombi- natural enemies have been described as ‘bio- nase sequences, so how are viable seeds For the Curious... rational’. to be produced? The answer is that a control sequence is added to the pro- The following explanation of how ‘Ter- Seeds of Discontent moter of the recombinase gene, which minator’ works is based on a descrip- allows it to be turned off in the presence Arguments about transgenic crop tech- tion by Dave Culley3. A gene, of a repressor protein. The repressor nology were brought into focus this consisting of a DNA sequence coding coding sequence is inserted behind a summer when an advertising campaign for a protein toxic to the plant and a pro- promoter which is active when the urged readers of European newspapers moter sequence (a ‘switch’ that controls recombinase is produced, but can be to embrace biotechnology as a means of production of the protein), is inserted turned off by the application of a (so far feeding the hungry in Africa. In a move into the plant's DNA. The ‘Late Embry- unspecified) chemical – and this allows intended to close the North Atlantic rift ogenesis Abundant’ (LEA) promoter the recombinase to be produced, which in opinion and convert a transgenically used in this instance, as its name sug- ultimately leads to toxin production. sceptical Europe, Monsanto sought gests, causes abundant quantities of the Plants will germinate, grow and pro- endorsement for genetically engineered toxin to be produced at the late embryo duce viable seed which will germinate – food crops from African heads of state, stage, which kills it. To produce a viable unless they are treated with this chem- and ran whole-page advertisements F seed from these plants, a spacer 1 ical. Once this is done, the next genera- entitled ‘Let the Harvest Begin’, in sequence is added to separate physi- tion seed will behave as described for which they asked readers to accept agri- cally the promoter from the toxin hybrid seed above: it will germinate cultural biotechnology so food produc- coding sequence, which prevents the tion could be increased. They said, (and produce recombinase at this time promoter from switching on toxin pro- which excises the spacer from the toxin “Biotechnology is one of tomorrow's duction. The spacer sequence can be cut tools in our hands today. Slowing its sequence); it will grow as normal, but out by a recombinase enzyme to bring the next generation seed will die during acceptance is a luxury our hungry the toxin and promoter sequences back 1 the late stages of maturation of the seed world cannot afford” . Some represent- together. But to control when the spacer atives of the alleged ‘hungry world’ on the plant (as toxin production is acti- is removed, the recombinase gene is vated by the LEA-toxin construct). begged to differ. Delegates from 19 itself put behind another promoter that African countries who attended FAO is only expressed during late germina- Why ‘Terminator’?... negotiations on the International Under- tion – so the recombinase protein is taking for Plant Genetic Resources In simple terms, this technology ena- expressed only after the F1 seed has ger- issued a statement in August that said minated. The plant grows normally – bles a seed company to alter seed genet- they “strongly object that the image of until the reactivated toxin gene is ically so that seed saved at crop harvest the poor and hungry from our countries expressed late in the development of will not germinate if the farmer plants it is being used by giant multinational the following season. So far it has been the second generation (F2) seed, and corporations to push a technology that kills the embryo inside it. shown to work in cotton and tobacco, is neither safe, environmentally friendly, but the US patent covers plants and nor economically beneficial to us”1. seeds of all species, transgenic and con- For hybrid seed production, the LEA- ventionally bred. Patent applications toxin construct (or gene sequence) is However, the FAO delegates took are pending for the technology put in one parent and the recombinase advantage of the opportunity to voice throughout the world. their objection to one particular devel- construct in the other, which means that opment in biotechnology in particular: when the parent seeds germinate the The USDA’s motive in developing seed “Rather than developing technology recombinase enzyme produced in one killer technology is apparently very that feeds the world,” their statement parent is neatly kept apart from the simple – to regulate the unauthorized continued, “Monsanto uses genetic toxin gene in the other. However, the F1 use of American transgenic technology engineering to stop farmers from seed they produce when crossed con- and to protect US intellectual property replanting seed and further develop tains both the toxin and recombinase rights. The goal is “to increase the value their agricultural systems...” The bio- sequences. So the recombinase pro- of proprietary seed owned by US seed technology brainchild the delegates left duced when this seed germinates companies and open up new markets in firmly out in the cold was the so-called excises the spacer from the LEA-toxin Second and Third World countries”, a ‘Terminator Technology’2. Developed sequence to bring the toxin and pro- USDA spokesman said2. Melvin Oliver, by the US Department of Agriculture moter back together, and at F2 seed a USDA molecular biologist and pri- (USDA) and Delta & Pine Land Co. maturation the toxin is produced which mary inventor of the technology (DPL – now a subsidiary of Monsanto), kills the seed. explained that his main interest was 106N BiocontrolNews and Information 1998 Vol. 19 No. 4 protection of American technology.... ommended that the precautionary prin- sure on marginal land and safeguard “Our mission is to protect US agricul- ciple be applied to the ‘Terminator biodiversity; reduce post-harvest losses ture, and to make us competitive in the Technology’. The Conference also and improve food nutritional quality; face of foreign competition”2. directed its scientific body to examine displace resource- and energy-intensive the technology's impact on farmers and inputs (fuel and chemicals); encourage DPL explained that their aim is to stim- biodiversity. In July, India pre-emp- a change to more sustainable agricul- ulate investment and plant breeder tively banned import of any seed con- tural practices; and stimulate economic interest in small grain crops such as taining the ‘Terminator’ genes because growth4. wheat and rice, and in cotton and soya- of the potential threat to Indian beans where the production of hybrids biosafety. In October the Rural Advance- No Such Thing as Bad Publicity? has proved difficult; they say that they ment Foundation International (RAFI) have already had much interest from launched an international campaign to The publicity surrounding the awarding seed companies in licensing the system. urge US government officials to stop of the ‘Terminator’ patent and the ‘Let the A press release issued in March said negotiations on ‘Terminator Tech- Harvest Begin’ advertisements increased that the technology has “the prospect of nology’ with Monsanto's subsidiary the public profile of the transgenic crops opening significant worldwide seed DPL and to halt all commercial devel- debate, and served to highlight concerns markets to the sale of transgenic tech- opment of it2. about their appropriateness for small- nology for crops in which the seed is scale farmers practising traditional agri- currently saved and used in subsequent culture – and in a wider context, the role Capital in the developing world is plantings”2. DPL argue that the devel- of biotechnology in sustainable agricul- scarce, and, it is argued, transgenic seed opment will “broaden access to contin- ture. is expensive particularly when uing agricultural improvements”, and licensing fees are taken into account. say that the practice of saving seed has Not surprisingly, the faith Monsanto Small farmers in Africa characteristi- locked farmers into “obsolete (i.e. old- declared in biotechnology for solving cally minimize their risks and produc- fashioned, low-yielding) varieties”4. agriculture’s problems has been tion costs. For them, it is good economic endorsed by other agrochemical compa- and agricultural practice to save seed ...And Why Not? nies. In August RAFI announced that from the best plants for the following UK-based Zeneca was applying for pat- Seed killer technology probably season. This minimizes planting costs ents for a chemically activated seed killer sounded like good economic sense in and allows farmers to practise farm- (dubbed ‘Verminator Technology’ the board room, where looking for a level varietal selection. It is also argued because one application involved an return on the industry's massive invest- that the introduction of transgenic uncoupling protein gene isolated from ment in transgenic technology is under- crops, and seed-sterile cultivars in par- rat brown adipose tissue)2. However, standably a preoccupation. (Currently, ticular, would increase monocultures Nigel Poole of Zeneca says5 that the 80% of crops in the developing world and ultimately lead to a decrease in the patent was granted in 1994, but the are grown from farmer-saved seed4.) crop biodiversity that farm-level selec- system has not been worked on since But it has sent shock waves rippling out tion has preserved. The Food and Agri- 1992, and he denies that they have any into the rest of the world, and has espe- culture Organization of the UN have interest in seed killer technology. He cially caused alarm in the developing estimated that some 1.4 billion people – said that their research interests centre world, already suspicious about the 300 million in Africa – rely on farmer- on ‘switches’ which turn genes on and 4 motives of the agrochemical industry in saved seed for planting , and ‘Termi- off, and cites three applications with big invading such resource-poor markets. nator Technology’ is seen as a threat to potential benefits: to prevent premature The FAO African delegates' statement the food security of these, the most vul- sprouting (and therefore losses) in tuber was damning in its criticism: “The only nerable. Many – both governments and crops such as potatoes; to control flow- aim of this technology is to force pressure groups – have said that such ering time in field and fruit crops; and to farmers back to the Monsanto shop technology is inappropriate for the improve targeting for toxins incorpo- every year, and to destroy an age old developing world, and that investment rated into transgenic crops, for example practice of local seed saving that forms in research should be about developing so as to turn ‘on’ transgenic fungal toxin the basis of food security in our coun- appropriate production technologies genes only when the plant is affected by tries... We do not believe that such com- suited to the needs of small farmers, the target disease. panies or gene technologies will help based on traditional practices and inte- our farmers to produce the food that is grated techniques. They argue that cur- Among supporters of biotechnology needed in the 21st century. On the con- rent problems centre on poverty and being transferred to Africa is the Inter- trary, we think it will destroy the diver- poor food distribution, not lack of national Service for the Acquisition of sity, the local knowledge and the sophisticated seed and breeding tech- Agri-biotech Applications, (ISAAA). sustainable agricultural systems that nology. The Monsanto fact sheet stated The Executive Director, Anatole Krat- our farmers have developed for mil- that enough food is currently produced tiger, points out in his introduction to lenia and that it will thus undermine to supply 3800 kilocalories each day to their ‘Strategy for Africa’6 that Africa 1 our capacity to feed ourselves”1. every person in the world . But, the has the highest population growth and Monsanto advertising campaign highest level of malnutrition, and faces Although proponents of ‘Terminator argued, it is the predicted growth in the highest challenge in feeding its Technology’ argue that small farmers world food population that is the people. “Provided they are properly will be unaffected, many are uncon- problem – and they say that biotech- integrated into production systems”, he vinced of this. In Bratislava this May, nology is the answer. They say that it argues, biotechnology applications offer the Conference of the Parties to the will: allow more food to be produced on new opportunities to increase produc- Convention on Biological Diversity rec- less land, and thus both reduce pres- tivity... “and often allow users to switch News 107N to a more sustainable and ecologically AgrEvo and Zeneca to donate biotech- quate on all these counts. They also dis- friendly system with reduce depend- nology. pute that chemical inputs will be ence on chemicals”. He goes further reduced and raise fears about health and claims that “some of the more Transgenic Crops and Safety risks4. To the criticism that such views sophisticated applications such as suggest a wholesale rejection of bio- It is not only queries about the socioec- transgenic crops are the only hope for technology, the answer is simple: con- onomics of transgenic crops that are at millions of farmers for overcoming vince us before introducing it. issue. Although it is too early to say problems that have proved intractable” whether benefits or fears about trans- and cites the current collaborative For seed killer technology, the issue of genics will materialize, the technology development of genetically modified possible outcrossing is highly signifi- raises many questions of science, law, virus-resistant sweet potato in Kenya, cant. DPL say that one positive aspect of ethics and economics4. based on eight local varieties and tech- their ‘Terminator Technology’ is that it nology donated by Monsanto. Safety regulations and legislation would circumvent problems arising in relating to biotechnological develop- the event of transgenic crops out- crossing into weeds – any hybrids The phrase “Provided they are properly ments in agriculture are still not fully 2 8 integrated into production systems” pre- developed in Africa – only South Africa would be sterile . Martha Crouch sumably rules out ‘Terminator Tech- and Egypt have adopted legislation (and argues that depending on ‘Terminator’ nology’, but what of transgenic crops transgenic crops have now been planted to prevent transgenic traits from such as the virus-resistant sweetpotato, in both countries) while Kenya is in the spreading unintentionally is unrealistic: for example? Opponents argue that process of developing regulations. The she says that recombinase activation [see only a minority will benefit: those who tortuous recent history of biotechnology ‘For the Curious’, above] and therefore can afford the seed, and of course the legislation in Europe is not likely to con- ‘Terminator’ expression is unlikely to be seed companies. What of the rest? vince those involved in the same process 100% effective, in which case ‘Termi- in Africa that it will be easy. The testing nator’ and other transgenic traits in the parent plant could be passed on. A phe- Krattiger7 disputes the argument that and registration processes, which coun- nomenon known as ‘gene silencing’, transgenic seed is too expensive. He tries have to undertake for the transgenic whereby genes are not expressed for says that it all depends on value; varieties independently, are lengthy and some reason, but can still be passed on, farmers the world over are far from expensive. could have the same consequences. stupid, and they will be prepared to pay There are more extreme concerns about for something only if they can be con- the potential ability of a handful of mul- ‘Terminator’ outcrossing with non- vinced that there is a return on it. He tinational giants to control the harvests transgenic/non-’Terminator’ crops in argues that African farmers have thus and thus the food security of large parts adjacent fields would be highly unde- far been largely denied access to any of the world – and the potential for seed sirable: neighbouring farmers could inputs, for example fertilizers, or choice to be withheld as a political weapon. As find their yields falling over a number in the seed market at any price. He sug- the Monsanto fact sheet pointed out, of years if a portion of their seed stocks gests that opening the market to com- only 15 crop plants provide 90% of the were rendered sterile – and crops such mercial interests will help to redress world's food energy intake1. These as maize and sorghum normally have a this. Krattiger also argues that every could be a potent weapon in the wrong high level of outcrossing. It is probably farmer will always have the option to hands. not possible at this time to predict the stay with traditional varieties and farm- likelihood of the ‘Terminator’ trait saved seed, a point he says is ignored by There are still questions about the envi- ‘escaping’ into adjacent fields, because opponents of transgenic crops. He ronmental safety of transgenic crops. many factors including genetic compat- points out that subsistence farmers Critics argue that biotechnologists are ibility, crop proximity and plant matu- aren’t interested in maintaining their too focused on the crops they are devel- ration timing affect this, but it is way of life – they want to increase their oping and pay too little attention to the reasonable to be concerned3. According income and improve their situation, environmental context in which they to Crouch8 it is likely to happen under 4 and that biotechnology can help them will be grown . Issues surrounding the some conditions, and although it would to do this. use of Bt crops were dealt with in a almost always be confined to one gener- recent article (BNI 19(2), 38N-39N) and ation (as hybridized seeds would be According to Krattiger, the rationale of there are related queries about herbi- sterile), she suggests that in exceptional the projects ISAAA is developing is that cide-tolerant and disease-resistant circumstances the trait could be inher- there is room for both commercial and transgenic cultivars. In summary, que- ited. On the other hand, Krattiger7 non-commercial biotechnology transfer ries about the reliability/stability of argues that hybrid maize has been from North to South. Although the cost these crops have not yet been satisfacto- grown for decades next to open-polli- of developing transgenic crops is high, rily answered; there is evidence that nated (traditional) varieties, and that the cost of putting the traits into many out-crossing into non-transgenic varie- there has been no problem with out- different varieties is far less. His vision ties and related weedy species may crossing. is for national capacities in biotech- occur; the transgenic traits may have a nology to serve the areas for which lack direct adverse impact on the ecosystem, Krattiger also dismisses some other of commercial viability makes them biodiversity and beneficial species in safety concerns: he suggests that argu- unattractive for industrial develop- particular; and there are worries over ments over resistance management ment, which he says covers most of the efficacy of resistance management plans going on in North America may developing country agriculture. To this plans for slowing the development of be irrelevant to Africa: agriculture is end he has already persuaded compa- resistance to pest-resistant transgenics. much less monocultural and if adoption nies such as Monsanto, Novartis, Opponents say testing has been inade- rates vary it is possible that no such 108N BiocontrolNews and Information 1998 Vol. 19 No. 4 management plans will be necessary. The current focus of biotechnology in give us better quality seed, unless cur- He also suggests that problems of the areas of host plant resistance and rent approaches are changed, this will decreasing biodiversity related to the biocontrol is narrow and locked into be at the expense of the economic sta- deployment of transgenic varieties single-technology systems, which are bility of small farmers, the sustaina- should be considered in the context of incompatible with IPM, Waage argued, bility of the African farming system, losses in biodiversity and environ- and instead of attempting to provide a and the continued evolution of land mental degradation that would result one-stop answer to pest problems, bio- races on which food security depends – from an increasing population technologists need to rethink, and redi- and from which the genetic material encroaching further and further into rect their energies and investment into now being exploited by the agrochem- marginal land to grow more crops. those areas where biotechnology could ical industry came. make a significant contribution to sus- Biotechnology, IPM and Biocontrol tainable systems: for example, mass Martin Kimani, IPM programme coor- production systems for predators, para- dinator for the CABI African Regional 7 Krattiger argues that biotechnology is sitoids and pathogens, and altering the Office in Nairobi, speaking at a Panos 11 here to stay, and that the billions of dol- specific properties of these organisms to Institute public debate in October , lars of investment in it can be harnessed enhance their impact, dispersion and said that in Kenya the ‘Genetic Modifi- in many different and complementary persistence; so far biotechnology seems cation Revolution’ was in danger of ways, by private companies and to have focused on reducing these capa- repeating the mistakes of the ‘Green through private-public partnerships. bilities in organisms used as biopesti- Revolution’ of the 1970s, and reintro- However, the problem with this, as per- cides. ducing an inappropriate high-cost high- ceived by some biocontrol and IPM input agriculture. Currently working to practitioners, is how this is being done. At the Overseas Development Institute, reintroduce a ‘mosaic of crops’ which he They argue that biotechnology as it is London in September, Hans Herren, believes is central to a traditional agricul- now used in the agricultural context is Director-General of the Nairobi-based ture, Kimani emphasized that crop man- potentially detrimental to sustaina- International Centre for Insect Physi- agement should take into account bility, and that a major refocusing is ology and Ecology (ICIPE) and a former experience passed down from genera- needed if it is to make a positive long- winner of the World Food Prize, said10 tion to generation and include simple term contribution to world agricultural that “too much hope and expectations remedies to develop an organic system production and food security. They are entrusted in [transgenic crop] tech- of agriculture tailored to local needs point to the failures of past attempts to nology, at the detriment of more con- and conditions. He argued that funding improve agriculture and suggest that ventional and proven technologies and for transgenic crop development would lessons learned there have yet to be approaches”. He said he did “not see be better put into developing organic understood by the biotechnology sector. the likelihood of transgenic varieties methods of agriculture. He focused also Professor Swaminathan, respected making an impact on food production on the importance of making this a agronomist and ‘father’ of India’s ‘Green in Africa within the next 15 or 20 years” demand-led process – in this way, he Revolution’, supports yield-enhancing and dismissed transgenic varieties as said, farmers would be encouraged to research including biotechnological “not affordable by the average farmer”. participate, combining their indigenous approaches, since, he argues, there is no He also questioned the narrow genetic knowledge with recent technologies, to alternative for countries with limited base of most transgenic varieties, partic- create a ‘bottom-up’ effect whereby land and large populations but to pro- ularly in the African context of a wide local needs govern the processes of duce more food on the same land. He variety of agro-ecosystems and the his- development. He expressed concern firmly believes that biotechnology can tory of crop failures in recent years. that current pressures for developing have an important role, so long as it is and introducing transgenic crops are developed and introduced as part of an Herren argued that there are other mostly commercial, and that farmers holistic system of environmental and cheaper, proven and sustainable ways need to know and understand the risks socioeconomic sustainability4. of improving crop abundance, and that involved and make the decisions. these would be a more appropriate 9 In a recent paper , Jeff Waage argued channel for the funding now pouring Beyond ‘Terminator’ that although biotechnology can poten- into biotechnology research from both tially bring a great deal to IPM, the cur- commercial and public sources. He It would not be unreasonable for others rent agrochemical industry approach is called for the goals of biotechnology in the biotechnology sector to be quietly a mixture of technological conservatism research to be rethought, and suggested furious with Monsanto. The main out- mixed with opportunism; biotech- that the most useful role for transgenic come so far of the ‘Terminator’ debate nology is being used merely to stretch crop research could be to improve crop and the ‘Let the Harvest Begin’ debacle the boundaries of markets already quality once problems of abundance has been to add anger to the already served by other technologies. In an have been addressed. He pointed to the unpalatable cocktail of suspicion and examination of the pest-resistant trans- irreconcilability of profit sustainability scepticism with which the sector is genic crop sector, he pointed out that (of which ‘Terminator Technology’ is viewed by many. The challenge is to they were using two already over- the latest development) and agricul- replace this with trust. Biocontrol and exploited and non-sustainable para- tural sustainability: in marketing terms, IPM practitioners, themselves no stran- digms: the pesticide model and the total product sustainability is often a bad gers to criticism, have criticized the cur- vertical resistance model for plant thing, in agricultural terms it is a good rent top-down, technology-driven breeding. In particular, two key aspects thing. approach of the biotechnology sector. of biocontrol – persistence and self- Biotechnology has much to offer, but it renewal – are incompatible with cur- In summary, Herren concluded, needs to stop seeing itself as a world rent bioengineering approaches. although biotechnology may in the end apart from other technically less- News 109N advanced approaches. It should learn Darrow St., Pullman, WA 99163, USA Indiana University, Bloomington, from current demand-led farmer-based E-mail: [email protected] Indiana, USA. IPM approaches: it should be asking The explanation of ‘Terminator’ is based E-mail: [email protected] farmers what they want, and finding on descriptions by Culley on the Plant- An occasional paper of The Edmonds out how biotechnology can contribute TC listserver. Archives can be accessed Institute, 20319-92nd Avenue, West to an integrated and sustainable agri- at: Edmonds, WA 98020, USA. The paper is culture – then refocusing its consider- http://www.agro.agri.umn.edu/plant- on the Internet at: able energies appropriately. tc/listserv/1998 http://www.bio.indiana.edu/people/ 1 terminator.html Panos Alert Pack (July 1998) 4 Panos Environment and Development The Panos Institute, 9 White Lion Street, Briefing No. 30. Greed or need? Geneti- 9 Waage, J. K. (1997) What does biotech- London N1 9PD, UK cally modified crops. (September 1998). nology bring to integrated pest man- E-mail: [email protected] [address as 1] Fax: +44 171 278 0345 agement? Biotechnology and Development Internet: http://www.oneworld.org/ 5 Poole, N. (pers. comm., 1998) Monitor 32, 19-21. panos/ 6 Krattiger, A. (1998) ISAAA: Our 10 Herren, H. R. (1998) The wishes of the 2 RAFI (1998): The Terminator Tech- strategy in Africa. Introduction by the rich versus the needs of the poor: which nology (Communique, March/April, 6 Executive Director. biotechnologies are appropriate for sus- pp.); And Now, the Verminator (News International Service for the Acquisi- tainable agricultural production in the Release, 24 August); Help Stop the Ter- tion of Agri-biotech Applications, 260 tropics? Paper given at the Overseas minator (Action Alert, October). Emerson hall, Cornell University, Development Institute, London, 30 Sep- Rural Advancement Foundation Inter- Ithaca, NY 14853, USA tember 1998. national – International Office, 110 E-mail: [email protected] Osborne St., Suite 202, Winnipeg MB Internet: http://www.isaaa.cornell.edu/ 11 Kimani, M. (1998) In: Proceedings of R3L 1Y5, Canada 7 a Panos public debate: ‘Will genetically E-mail: [email protected] Krattiger, A. (pers. comm., 1998) modified crops feed the world or Fax: +1 204 925-8034 8 increase poverty in developing coun- Internet: http://www.rafi.ca/ Crouch, M. (1998) How the Terminator terminates: an explanation for the non- tries?’ London, 16 October 1998. 1 3 Written with input, gratefully scientist of a remarkable patent for [address as ] acknowledged, from Dr David E. killing second generation seeds of crop Culley, Glass Garden Research, NW 745 plants. ❑

Training News

In this section we welcome all your experi- The BIOS (Biologically Integrated ernment agency staff to provide tech- ences in working directly with the end-users Orchard Systems) Program1 in nical assistance. of and microbial biocontrol northern California promotes the adop- agents or in educational activities on nat- tion of integrated systems, emphasizing The BIOS Program had its beginnings ural enemies aimed at students, farmers, a collection of practices that build on with 26 almond growers in Merced extension staff or policymakers. naturally occurring biological processes County in California's Central Valley in for pest and soil fertility management. 1993. CAFF worked with these growers A Californian Model Farmers are introduced to this through to develop and spread viable alterna- a combination of extension and infor- tives to chemically intensive practices mation sharing. The programme is co- commonly used throughout the state. California produces 55% of US fruits, Key to the programme was the farmers' ordinated by the Community Alliance nuts and vegetables on a mere 3% of US desire to reduce agrochemical use with Family Farmers (CAFF) Founda- farmland. As a state, it has the highest without sacrificing agricultural produc- tion who encourage the participation of agricultural income in the USA. While tivity. Almonds are California's sixth diverse members of the agricultural at first sight Californian farming may most valuable crop (representing 100% community in a format that leads to the have little in common with developing of US production), and in 1993 were world smallholder cultivation, both are exchange and synthesis of both prac- ranked second in overall pesticide use fertile ground for farmer participatory tical and highly technical information. in the state. Yet some farmers already research. California accounts for some They recognized that in the transition had well-established alternative pro- 22% of US agricultural pesticide use. from chemically dependent to biologi- duction systems and had achieved doc- There is strong pressure to reduce this, cally based production, participants umented success in reducing pesticide from consumers and farmers as well as would need a programme offering a inputs while keeping insect damage the 'green' lobby. Restrictions are likely broad range of easily accessible infor- low and remaining economically com- only to increase, for example with the mation, skills and services. So they petitive. The goals of the BIOS program planned phasing out of methyl bromide established a consortium of farmers, were: to demonstrate that such biologi- production and use, and the looming private agricultural consultants, Uni- cally integrated systems reduced reli- possibility of tighter regulations on versity of California personnel, private ance on agrochemicals and were organophosphate use. businesses, and USDA and other gov- profitable; to increase their adoption by 110N BiocontrolNews and Information 1998 Vol. 19 No. 4 farmers and to build farmers’ confi- broader agricultural community. walnut growers in adjoining counties. dence through technical support and Finally, some financial assistance was Similar success was achieved in other information sharing; to document the also available. almond projects, but more difficulties changes and effectiveness of BIOS pro- were encountered with the walnut pro- duction practices; to cultivate and Elements emphasized in the BIOS duction system. The success of the maintain private and public agricul- approach were: biological and cultural almond system was attributed to the tural industry participation and sup- control of pests; the creation of on-farm existence of local biologically integrated port; and to develop and enable long- habitats for beneficial ; soil systems with a history of demonstrated term community leadership and coor- building practices, including facili- success, which served as a working dination for BIOS. tating biological nitrogen fixation; and model while the farmers acted as men- reduced reliance on agrochemicals. tors for the project. The synthesis of These goals were achieved by a diver- This was achieved by promoting cover information generated by scientific sity of activities. Locally based teams crop mixes planted between tree rows, research and actual farming experience were established to provide pro- which enhanced the soil and improved continued to be a cornerstone of the gramme leadership and guidance, and tree vigour and also attracted beneficial programme: scientific research helped farmer participants were selected care- insects which prey on primary nut identify, describe and evaluate the per- fully. A customized management plan pests. As a result growers were able to formance of key farming system com- reduce both insecticide and herbicide was designed for each farmer in the first ponents, while farmers' experiential use. These practices also reduced the year, and these were ’fine tuned’ knowledge allowed participants to inte- need for tilling, and the rich soil pro- according to local results and condi- grate scientific information into their duced by the cover crop residue pro- tions for subsequent years. The process local production systems. vided a healthy habitat for earthworms. of developing these plans was found to Some participating farmers were able to be an important factor in establishing Learning From the BIOS Approach eliminate chemical use completely, successful long-term collaborative rela- 2 which gave them the added benefit of A handbook has now been published tionships. The plans included concrete premium prices for organic produce. which introduces the principles driving suggestions for switching to biologi- One of the barriers to introducing cover the BIOS Program, gives an overview of cally integrated systems and sugges- crops had been strong peer pressure to on-the-ground operations, and identi- tions for cover crops, plants that attract have floors of orchards bare of vegeta- fies lessons learned and challenges beneficial insects, and other remedies. tion – partly for aesthetic reasons but faced in implementing a BIOS-style Information exchange with the man- partly to make the operation of har- programme. agement team and based on the knowl- vesting machinery easier. However, edge and experience of farmers who It identifies the key elements of its BIOS farmers found that by mowing had pioneered and developed biologi- approach as: (1) identifying and their crop at the right time they had no cally integrated systems – including a working with motivated farmers who problems with the machinery. 'buddy' system – was also facilitated for are willing to take risks and make sig- nificant changes to their management individual technical assistance. Field At the end of the first year, the main practices, (2) making a commitment to days, workshops, problem-solving field-level impact for the almond link the practical on-farm knowledge of meetings and seminars and the use of growers was reduced chemical inputs, farmers with scientific information (this diverse educational materials and for- particularly organophosphate insecti- should not be a top-down imparting of mats were used to disseminate infor- cide use, which fell from 35% of partici- information from scientist to farmer, as mation, provide technical support and pating farmers to nil. Pre-emergence teamwork where all participants are build analytical and problem-solving herbicide (simazine) use fell from 24% regarded as equal is critical), and (3) capacities. As well as hands-on field to 6%; and applications of synthetic keeping the programme flexible: the activities, there were oral presentations, nitrogen fertilizer dropped by 46%. handbook cites the fundamental lesson group discussions, videos and written Planting of cover crops increased from of the BIOS Program as flexibility. It is materials. Regular field days and work- 12% to 92% of the farms involved, while essential that a programme can adapt to shops were held to improve skills in use of beneficial arthropods and appli- the changing needs of participants, identifying beneficial and pest arthro- cation of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) modify methods of communication and pods, plant diseases and cover crop increased from 60% to 80% and 41% to technical approaches as appropriate, species. Monitoring programmes for 65%, respectively. Crop yield and per- and evolve over time as the needs of the orchard ecology were developed, and centage insect damage (worm-reject participating farmers and institutions these included advice on how to spot level) were similar for BIOS and control change. specific insect pests or damage as well blocks, and farmer satisfaction was as beneficials. The use of field moni- high, with many planning to increase The role of the various components – toring in decision-making related to the area under BIOS management. the management team, recruitment pest and other management operations Farmers were also asked to rate the use- strategy, management plans, moni- was increased. Weekly updates of field fulness of various activities (meetings/ toring information, on-farm field days conditions and monitoring results were field days, newsletters and monitoring and workshops, individual technical also given. Emphasis was placed on reports and programmes) and BIOS support, financial support, publica- keeping the programme flexible and management team inputs, and their tions, and documentation and evalua- responsive to participants needs and responses were used to modify proce- tion – are described. local agricultural conditions. Scientific dures. community research on biologically Some lessons learned are discussed, integrated systems was encouraged, The programme was expanded in the including the importance of building on together with outreach activities to the following year to include almond and existing farmer experience, integrating News 111N scientific and practical knowledge and reduction, together with insufficient nine insecticide applications per man- recognising the equal value of each, knowledge regarding macadamia pest agement unit. Most applications are tar- having a commitment to team work, control, has forced many farmers to geted at the eggs, which are laid singly how effective coordination can enhance abandon their orchards. At Macadamia on the outer husk of the nuts, and on the participation, maintaining programme de Costa Rica (MCR), (managed by the adults via residual insecticide effects. flexibility, and gaining institutional and Commonwealth Development Corpo- policy support. ration, London, 1993-98) an IPM pro- Egg parasitism by a native Tricho- gramme has been developed to address gramma species was first observed in One challenge faced as the programme the escalating pest problems. the field in 1996. Since then, scouts have expands is how to manage a pro- been trained to monitor for this para- gramme of increasing complexity, and The primary economic pest of macad- sitism, and it has been incorporated into the importance of carefully selected amia in Costa Rica is the macadamia the weekly sampling programme. A locally based management teams is rec- nut borer, Ecdytolopha torticornis (Lep., borer-egg/parasitoid ratio is calculated ognized. It is also argued that in the Tortricidae). It caused damage levels of for each management unit. From this a long term BIOS-style technical support around 9% (of harvested nuts) on MCR parasitism index is obtained, which and resources for farmers should be properties in 1997. In addition to the informs an insecticide spray decision. handed over to local organizations, so borer, there are hemipteran pests that During a period of high borer infesta- an important goal is to convince local feed on the macadamia kernel, and tion in 1997, 50% of sprays were can- groups and institutions to provide pests and diseases of the flowers. celled as a result of a high parasitism resources for biologically integrated index. In general, however, native para- MCR owns three orchards covering a farming practices beyond the life of the sitism levels are not sufficient to control total area of 560 ha. The pest manage- project. the macadamia nut borer. Reasons for ment team consists of an IPM specialist, this could be the unstable host popula- Further details of the BIOS Program, an assistant co-ordinator, eight pest tion levels, the insecticide application and eight other case studies of the scouts and a team of workers trained in regime or the patchy distribution of development of sustainable agricul- pesticide application techniques. The alternative host plants within the tural practices from around the world pest scouts collect the information that orchard. are described in the World Resources drives the management system. The Institute publication cited below, which accuracy of their decision making Recent studies into the biology of the highlights lessons learned on how to determines the success of the control native Trichogramma species and its com- carry out effective research and devel- measures, and it is thus essential that patibility with chemical control methods opment for application of integrated they are well trained and motivated in have yielded positive results, high- pest, crop and soil management. their work. lighting the potential use in an augmen- tative release programme. Increased Sources: 1 Thrupp, L. A. (1996) New At the core of the IPM programme is a levels of parasitism were also achieved partnerships for sustainable agricul- weekly crop and pest monitoring following an experimental release of a ture. Washington DC; World Resources system. The orchards are divided into commercial strain of Trichogramma preti- Institute, 138 pp. 7.5-ha units, which are managed indi- osum. It is hoped that parasitoid rearing Obtainable from: WRI Publications, PO vidually according to the weekly sam- and release programmes will be more Box 4852, Hampden Station, Baltimore, pling results. Scouts use a random widely used in future macadamia IPM. MD 21211, USA. US$13.45 + $3.50 p&p. sampling technique to collect nuts from 2 Schafer, K. S. (ed) (1998) Learning from the tree and the ground. Hand lenses The IPM specialist holds frequent the BIOS approach. A guide for com- are used to scan the nut surface for the training days for scouts, both in the munity-based biological farming pro- tiny transparent borer eggs. The nuts field and in the laboratory. These days grams, 40 pp. are then opened and searched for early provide a platform for scouts from dif- Obtainable from: Community Alliance instar borer larvae and for bug damage. ferent farms to compare their work, to with Family Farmers, PO Box 363, Scouts use a scoring system, based on suggest possible improvements and to Davis, CA 95617, USA visible characteristics, to assess crop discuss the trends that they see in insect E-mail: [email protected] phenology. Each management unit con- population levels. This is also an oppor- Fax: +1 530 756 7857 tains a different mixture of macadamia tunity for the scouts to inform the IPM varieties. Pest scouts have been trained specialist about pest and parasitism Contact: Lori Ann Thrupp, World to distinguish between these varieties, hotspots within the orchards. This Resources Institute, Sustainable Agri- as the trees that they sample must be knowledge may be extremely helpful in culture, c/o 1632 Tyler St., Berkeley, CA representative of the variety distribu- reducing pesticide inputs, if only infes- 94703, USA. tion within that unit. The information is tation hotspots within a management E-mail: [email protected] collected on detailed monitoring sheets unit are targeted. and analysed by the IPM co-ordinator ❑ to determine whether action thresholds Scouts use microscopes to study the var- for insecticide applications have been ious stages of borer-egg development Macadamia IPM Training exceeded. and to take a closer look at the live, in Costa Rica emerged and dead borer eggs, which The macadamia nut borer is very diffi- they have to distinguish in the field. The The macadamia nut industry in Costa cult to control using insecticides scouts are asked to draw what they see Rica is less than 50 years old. As the area because it is a cryptic pest. Neverthe- under the microscope and this is subse- planted with macadamia has increased less, in the absence of alternatives, the quently discussed and explained. Egg and the trees have aged, pest problems principal control method is still chem- parasitism by Trichogramma sp. is also have also increased. The resulting yield ical, and in 1997 there were on average viewed under the microscope and the 112N BiocontrolNews and Information 1998 Vol. 19 No. 4 life cycle of the parasitoid is explained. open days, the IPM programme is Growers are aware of the risks, and there Through increased understanding of the explained and scouts give practical dem- is great enthusiasm for the potential use biology of the pests and beneficials, onstrations of their sampling techniques. of a biological control agent against the scouts gain insight into their work and As a result, other growers are moving borer. better appreciate the importance of their away from calendar spraying and are role within the IPM programme. adopting monitoring systems. Similarly, By: Sheena Sloan, Imperial College of Sci- increasing numbers of growers are ence, Technology & Medicine, Depart- The Commonwealth Development taking parasitism into account when ment of Biology, Silwood Park, Ascot, Corporation places value on sharing the making their spray decisions. Costa Rica SL5 7PY, UK. results of any experimentation in pest is a country with an extremely high pes- E-mail: [email protected] management with other growers in the ticide usage (having the highest per macadamia industry. During on-farm capita usage in Central America). ❑

Internet Round-up

By: Tony Little, Technical Support Group ginia Tech’s entomology site and pro- Also among CFAN’s links is the Inter- to the Global IPM Facility, CABI Bio- vides information and further links on national Union of Forestry Research science. biology, ecology, IPM projects and cur- Organisations (IUFRO) at: rent research on the gypsy moth. This quarter the Internet Round up http://iufro.boku.ac.at/ focuses on biological control of forestry The website of the forestry advisers net- Biological control aspects of IUFRO’s pests. Starting with, what for me is close work (CFAN) of the Canadian Interna- activities may be found in the imagina- to home, a visit to the CAB Abstracts – tional Development Agency (CIDA) at: tively named Division 7 – Forest Forestry Data Base at: http://www.rcfa-cfan.org Health: http://pest.cabweb.org/cgi-dos/web- is also an excellent resource, available in spirs http://iufro.boku.ac.at/iufro/iufronet/ English, French and Spanish. Forestry d7list.htm A quick search yielded 363 references in profiles relation to biological control – a useful However, having been rude about the starting point. The Biocontrol Network http://www.rcfa-cfan.org/English/ naming of this division, I am at pains to website at: index.profiles.html point out that typing ‘biological control’ into the search engine available, fur- detail projects in Africa, Asia and the http://www.biconet.com nished me with a useful list of refer- Americas, for example the biological ences. is always a good springboard for any control of aphid species on conifers in biocontrol information searches with East Africa. The European Tropical Forest research links to the biocontrol reference centre: Network (ETFRN) at: The CFAN site sports a useful list of http://www.biconet.com/reference/ links, among them FAO. FAO are in the http://www.etfrn.org/etfrn/etfrn- BICONETRC.html process of adding forest pest data to home.html which includes a Database of IPM their Global Plant and Pest Information has an on line newsletter which occa- Resources: System (GPPIS) at: sionally contains articles on biological http://www.ipmnet.org/DIR/ http://pppis.fao.org control programmes, and a plethora of links to other related sites Typing ‘Lymantria’ into the search although this is still under develop- engine, for example, links me to Vir- ment, so it’s a case of ‘watch this space’. ❑

Announcements

Are you producing a newsletter, holding a 1999. This symposium is the next in the cover Symposium meeting facilities, meeting, running an organization or series of premier world meetings, held published proceedings and selected rearing a natural enemy that you want approximately every four years, of sci- activities. Accommodation and area other biocontrol workers to know about? entists interested in the biological con- tours are available at additional cost. Send us the details and we will announce it trol of weeds, and covers all aspects of Delegates from countries that have in BNI. the theory and practice of biological been under-represented at these sym- weed control. This meeting is co-spon- posia in the past can apply to the confer- X International Weed ence organizers to waive certain Symposium sored by the United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research expenses. The X International Symposium on Bio- Service (USDA/ARS) and Montana logical Control of Weeds will be held in State University–Bozeman. The Sympo- The Symposium will run as a series of Bozeman, Montana, USA on 4-9 July, sium registration fee of US$450 will successive sessions – there will be no News 113N concurrent sessions. Therefore, the 11th EWRS International contributions will be refereed and number of oral presentations will be Symposium published in the proceedings which limited. Organizers will select papers will be available at the Symposium. for oral presentation, based on scien- Entering its 25th year, the European The official language of the Sympo- tific merit, originality, and appropriate- Weed Research Society (EWRS) is sium will be English. The organizers ness. Submissions that are not selected marking the occasion with an interna- will strive to keep the registration fees may be presented as posters, which tional symposium. In the series of and costs in line with those at pre- biannual meetings, the 11th EWRS may also be published as full papers in vious EWRS symposia, and a range of Symposium will be held on 28 June – the proceedings of the Symposium. accommodation to suit all budgets is 1 July 1999 in Basel, Switzerland. The The language of the Symposium will offered. Further information is avail- Symposium will provide a forum for be English. Further information is able on the Internet at: scientists to present their work on a http://www.res.bbsrc.ac.uk/ewrs available on the Internet at: broad range of weed science topics, http://www.sidney.ars.usda.gov such as weed biology and ecology, Scientific information: EWRS Sympo- recent developments in biological, sium 1999, c/o FAW, CH-8820 Contact: Neal R. Spencer, Symposium physical and chemical weed control Wadenswil, Switzerland. Co-Chairman, USDA/ARS – and environmental aspects of weed E-mail: [email protected] Northern Plains Ag Research Lab, control. The programme of the Sym- posium will include oral and poster Fax: +41 1 7806341 1500 North Central, Sidney, Registration and general information: MT 59270, presentations in successive sessions. Special aspects of biological and phys- EWRS Symposium 1999, PO Box, CH- USA. ical weed control will be presented in 4332 Stein, Switzerland. E-mail: [email protected] a scientific excursion during the sym- E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +1 406 482 5038 posium. Optional excursions to Swiss Fax: +41 62 8686439 research institutions and agrochem- ❑ ical research facilities are offered. All ❑

Conference Reports

Indian Biocontrol Professor G. K. Veeresh inaugurated erpa armigera kc NPV visanuo ka Workers’ Group Meeting the Group Meeting and said that bio- utpadan aur prayog’ [in Hindi] and control was the most suitable method ‘Proceedings of national seminar on The VII Biocontrol Workers’ Group for control of pests in forests, planta- biological suppression of plant dis- Meeting was conducted under the tion crops, horticulture and field eases, phytoparasitic nematodes and aegis of the Indian Council of Agricul- crops. The need for conservation of weeds’. ‘PDBC – biocontrol resource tural Research (ICAR), New Delhi on natural enemies and adoption of bio- inforbase’ and ‘An expert system for 25-26 August 1998 at the Project Direc- intensive pest management with torate of Biological Control (PDBC), careful pest management was biological control of cotton pests in Bangalore. The inaugural function stressed. Biocontrol programmes are India (BIOCOT)’ were also released. was attended by 110 invitees and del- considered to be in tune with eco- egates from ICAR institutes and agri- friendly approaches to pest manage- By: Dr S. P. Singh, Project Directorate of cultural universities. ment. Biological Control (ICAR), P. B. No. 2491, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Dr S. P. Singh, Project Director, PDBC The following PDBC publications welcomed the gathering and gave an were released: ‘PDBC celebrates 50 Bangalore – 560 024, India. account of the research highlights for years of Independence’, ‘Production E-mail: [email protected] the years 1997-98 of the All-India Co- and use of polyhedrosis viruses of Fax: +91 080 3411961 ordinated Research Project on Biolog- Spodoptera litura and Helicoverpa ical Control of Crop Pests and Weeds. armigera’, ‘Spodoptera litura aur Helicov- ❑

New Books

Plant-Microbe controls for plant diseases, based on researched chapters addressing bio- Interactions and plant-microbe interactions”. From this control of weeds using microorgan- Biological Control and the publishers blurb, it would isms: one, an up-to-date review appear that the 19 chapters in the book covering both the classical and bioher- According to the editors, the aim of deal exclusively with biological con- bicide approaches; the other, an in- this book* is to “...discuss promising trol of plant disease. However, some- depth introduction to the formula- strategies and approaches to the what lost within the body of the book tions currently in use or under investi- development of effective biological are two comprehensive and well gation for bioherbicide production. 114N BiocontrolNews and Information 1998 Vol. 19 No. 4

The greater part of the book is, indeed, being that of Rabb, Stinner & van den Chapters 3-6 focus on the ecological devoted to the actual and potential Bosch in 1976 (Conservation and aug- basis of conservation biological con- use of microorganisms (viruses, bac- mentation of natural enemies, pp. 233- trol. Chapter 3 draws attention to the teria, fungi) for plant disease control; 254 in ‘Theory and practice of biolog- fact that a limited number of pest spe- consisting of an ill-assorted (eclectic) ical control’ edited by Huffaker & cies are dominant in agroecosystems mixture of highly specialized chapters Messenger). Nonetheless, Barbosa has and then goes on to discuss the impli- (e.g. ‘Control of cucumber mosaic successfully co-ordinated an interna- cations for the structure and composi- virus using viral satellites’; ‘Genetic tional group of authors to provide a tion of natural enemy communities. analysis of selected antifungal metab- comprehensive coverage of a wide An important practical message is olites produced by Pseudomonas aureo- selection of topics from the ecological here for those sceptics who think that faciens’), and more general review- basis of the subject, and its practical conservation biological control is too type chapters (‘Biological control of application, through to the constraints complicated to implement: “a rela- Fusarium wilt’; ‘Biological control with on uptake and the problems of com- tively narrow suite of pests reduces Trichoderma species’; ‘Biological con- patibility with the economics of crop- the number of natural enemies that trol strategies for Sclerotinia diseases’), ping systems. There is, however, a lot need to be targeted for conservation which should appeal to a much wider of interesting science in this book and and may facilitate the use of a small audience. this reviewer thinks that the content of number of effective conservation tac- many of the well referenced chapters tics that are also cost-effective”. The The book also claims to be both a prac- many ways in which plants (plant tical reference for a range of scientists, will be of interest to ecologists as well as biological control specialists. A patch structure, diversity and single involved directly or indirectly in agri- plants) can influence the searching whirlwind tour of some of the major culture, and a standard text for grad- behaviour and population dynamics sections of the book will provide a fla- uate students. It succeeds only partly of parasitoids and invertebrate preda- vour of what to expect. in this objective since many of the tors are reviewed in remaining chap- chapters are far too narrow and spe- ters of this section. Whilst many of the cialized for the latter readers, and Chapter 1 sets the scene with the his- case studies cited are, often by neces- probably also for most agronomists torical background to the subject. sity, reductionist in approach, the and soil/crop scientists. However, it However, it moves rapidly on to high- authors strongly emphasize that plant could serve as a valuable reference light one of the major dilemmas with factors will not act independently and source and thus would be an impor- this field of applied science: how to get that single plant traits cannot be easily tant addition to both university and policy makers and farmers to adopt ‘engineered’ into a tactic for conserva- agriculturally-inclined libraries. Cer- some of the principles which have tion biological control. tainly, the price puts it beyond the emerged from research. As it stands, reach of many of the readers at which conservation biological control has a The theme of chapters 7-9 is the control it is aimed. lot to offer the agricultural sectors of or manipulation of the size and distri- countries which are now challenged bution of crop patches and landscape *Boland, G. J.; Kuykendall, L. D. (eds) to reduce pesticide usage and adopt features. Chapter 7 emphasizes the (1997) Plant-Microbe Interactions and integrated pest management. How- need for a better understanding of the Biological Control. New York; Marcel ever, all too frequently, the basic prin- ecology of natural enemies outside of Dekker Inc., 442 pp. Price US$165. ciples of conservation run counter to agroecosystems for their effective con- ISBN 0 8247 0043. production practices. Also, conserva- servation, and chapter 8 shows how ❑ tion biological control is facing com- artificially sown weed strips can pro- petition from other biologically based vide essential resources for parasitoids Conservation Biological management tactics (including geneti- and invertebrate predators. After revis- Control cally engineered crops) which are, or iting some ecological theory (particu- maybe, less demanding for farmers to larly the diversity–stability and In one of the classic texts on biological implement. enemies hypotheses for pest out- control, DeBach (1964: ‘Biological breaks), chapter 9 successfully shows how habitat manipulation research Control of Insect Pests & Weeds’) The parallel of conservation biological may be undertaken and translated into defined conservation biological con- control with conservation biology is trol as environmental modification to practical guidance to farmers. This the subject of the next chapter, with a protect and enhance natural enemies, reviewer found this section particu- discussion of important concepts such and this is the central focus of this new larly stimulating as the authors address as island biogeographic theory, spe- book*. In chapter 1, we are reminded the major problem of the gap between cies richness, meta populations and that conservation biological control is research and implementation in con- keystone species. Nonetheless, whilst probably the oldest form of biological servation biological control. these subjects have much to tell us control of insects and the example is about the scientific basis of conserva- cited of the Chinese, in 900 AD, Chapter 10 examines the important tion, the author concludes: “political placing nests of the predaceous ant subject of the influence of genetically Oecophylla smaragdina in mandarin forces, legal proceedings, policy deci- engineered crops, particularly pest orange trees to reduce the abundance sions and economic pressures often resistant Bt-expressing cultivars, on of foliage insect pests. dictate the level of success or failure in the interaction of existing biological a management plan for preservation control agents with pests. In general A major review of the scattered litera- or recovery of species and their habi- terms, the authors conclude that con- ture on this subject was way overdue, tats”. Thus, again, we are reminded servation biological control will ben- the last most accessible general work that it is policy that matters in the end. efit from the use of genetically News 115N modified cultivars because less insec- tocols that realistically predict their farming systems – entomopathogenic ticide will be used on the crops. This effects on non-target beneficial organ- nematodes, entomopathogenic fungi, subject is, however, not clear cut and isms. ants, coccinellids, spider mites and at best controversial [e.g. see BNI microbial antagonists. 19(2), 38N-41N]. Chapter 11 discusses The remaining chapters of this book the compatibility of pesticides with (12-20) are devoted to reviews of *Barbosa, P. (ed) (1998) Conservation natural enemies. The use of pesticides either particular types of pests (mobile is likely to continue for the foreseeable insect pests, chapter 12; weeds, biological control. San Diego, Cali- future. Thus, with increasing world- chapter 20) or taxonomic groups of fornia, USA; Academic Press, 396 pp. wide concerns about the environ- natural enemies. The latter reviews Price US$69.95. ISBN 0 12 078147 6. mental impact of these chemicals bring the literature together on a wide there is now pressure to develop pro- range of organisms in particular ❑

Proceedings

Weed Biological Control are of a high standard; informative (A. K. Sharma, D. P. Singh & A. K. in India and well researched. The editors are to Singh); Present status of biological be congratulated on assembling this suppression of plant parasitic nema- The series of 18 papers in this book* book in such a short time and of todes (M. Wajid Khan); Bacterial was developed from a national sem- achieving the aims of the seminar antagonists for suppression of plant inar held at the Project Directorate of which was to focus attention on the parasitic nematodes, (C. V. Siva- Biological Control in Bangalore on 16 actual and potential use of biological kumar); Fungal and bacterial antago- May 1998 as part of the celebrations to control within an IPM strategy. nists for biological suppression of commemorate the Golden Jubilee of plant parasitic nematodes on horticul- The book is also of relevance to India’s Independence [see BNI 19(3), tural crops, (P. Parvatha Reddy & M. 80N-81N]. Leading Indian scientists in workers involved in biological control outside of the Indian subcontinent, Nagesh); Use of fungal and bacterial their respective fields have contrib- antagonists for the biological control uted, which shows the increasing particularly as an update on the research currently underway in India of nematodes in plantation crops (J. national importance given to biolog- Gulsar Banu & P. K. Koshy); Biolog- ical control by policy makers in Indian and as a reference source to previous ical suppression of weeds with patho- agriculture. work. gens – present scenario (V. M. Bhan, J. Eight chapters are devoted to the bio- The chapters include: Introduction (S. P. Kauraw & Archana Chile); Biolog- logical control (or suppression) of plant P. Singh); Biological control of plant ical suppression of aquatic weeds diseases; four chapters deal with diseases: status in India (A .N. with fungal pathogens (K. R. Aneja); microbial antagonists of plant parasitic Mukhopadhyay & P. K. Mukherjee); Biological suppression of parthenium nematodes; whilst three chapters Biological suppression of diseases of with pathogens (P. Sreerama Kumar); address weed biocontrol with two plantation crops and spices – present Use of entomophilic nematodes for chapters covering entomophilic nema- status and future strategies (Y. R. the suppression of insect pests todes of insect pests; confusingly Sarma & M. Anandaraj); Mass pro- (Wasim Ahmad); and Entomophilic included within the session theme on duction technology for fungal antago- nematodes for control of insect pests weeds! Clearly, there is some overlap nists and field evaluation (R. Jeyarajan (S. S. Hussaini & S. P. Singh). The rec- between the chapters, and hence repeat & K. Angappan); biological suppres- ommendations which emerged from sion of fungal pathogens of commer- of information, as exemplified by the the seminar are included. papers on entomophilic nematodes cial crops with fungal antagonists (K. which share almost identical titles; one Nagarajan); Role of secondary metab- olites of Pseudomonas fluorescens in the *Singh, S. P.; Hussaini, S. S. (eds) (1998) favouring biological control the other Biological Suppression of Plant Dis- suppression. Since suppression was biocontrol of plant pathogens (K. K. Mondal &. J. P. Veram); Biological eases, Phytoparasitic Nematodes and chosen for the title of the seminar, most Weeds, 284 pp. authors gravitate towards this term, suppression of major diseases of field crops using bacterial antagonists (P. Obtainable from: Project Directorate which may have political correctness of Biological Control, P. B. No. 2491, on its side, or perhaps this is now the Vidhyasekaran); Biological control of H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Hebbal, favoured IPM-speak. major diseases of rice and other cereal crops with bacterial antagonists (S. S. Bangalore – 560 024, Karnataka, India. The papers reflect the past and present Gnanamanickam & K. Krishna- Price $25. research on biological control within murthy); Epidemiological studies in an Indian context and, in general, they biological control of plant pathogens ❑ 116N BiocontrolNews and Information 1998 Vol. 19 No. 4