News 49N

Editorial

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Brighter Future for The wasp was first released in 1994 and spread establishment of the parasitoid in the Conifer Forests 1995 at Kamae and Keriita forests in west of the country has raised hopes that Kiambu District, in the Central Highlands populations of the aphid and hence damage There are signs of progress in classical bio- of Kenya. But initial post-release surveys to trees could soon be significantly logical control programmes against two suggested that the parasitoid showed very reduced, so cypress may once again major conifer sap-sucking pests in the New poor signs of establishment and it seemed become a popular amenity and commercial and Old Worlds. then as thought the attempted introductions tree. Pauesia in East Africa... had been a failure. There may be yet more good news, this Since its invasion of East Africa in the early This seemed to differ from the story time from Uganda, where P. juniperorum 1990s, the cypress aphid (Cinara sp. nov.) emerging in Malawi. Pauesia juniperorum wasalsoreleasedinthemid1990s.FORI has become a major pest of cypresses and was also released there by FRIM (Forest (the Ugandan Forest Research Institute) has pencil cedar, which are among the most Research Institute of Malawi) in 1994 and recently reported that an aphidiine has been important tree species of economic value in 1995, where it established successfully [see found attacking the cypress aphid close to Kenya. This has led to large losses. KEFRI BNI 18(2), 23N]. The parasitoid has now the release sites, but the identity of the spe- (the Kenya Forestry Research Institute) dispersed over much of the central and cies needs to be confirmed. report that some 10% of trees attacked by southern part of the country, and studies by Contact: Dr Paul K. A. Konuche, Director, the aphids have died, and it is estimated that FRIM at Dedza in central Malawi indicate KEFRI, PO Box 20412, Nairobi, Kenya surviving trees have suffered a 20% annual that the parasitoid is controlling the popula- Email: [email protected] loss in growth increment. tion growth of the aphid. Fax: +254 154 32844 As a consequence, there has been a loss of But in mid January 1999, KEFRI scientists Sean Murphy, CABI Bioscience, interest in the planting and management of found parasitized aphids at Londiani on the Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, cypress trees for hedging and farm forestry other side of the Rift Valley in Kenya, some SL5 7TA, UK and in the development of large-scale 250 km away from the release sites. The Email: [email protected] plantations. parasitoid responsible has since been con- Fax: +44 1491 829123 Following the outbreak of the cypress aphid firmed as P. juniperorum, and it has now …And Pseudoscymnus in the USA inKenyain1991,KEFRIandtheIIBC been found to be established over an exten- Kenya Station (now CABI Africa Regional sive area, from North Molo forest, through The hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges Centre) began a research programme, with Londiani, Timboroa and Nabkoi forests tsugae) is native to Japan, and was first financial support from CIDA (the Canadian and towards Eldoret. The puzzle is how the recorded in the USA from Virginia in 1951. International Development Agency), FAO wasp got there. At the moment, the best Since then, it has become a serious pest of (the Food and Agriculture Organization of explanation is that it was blown by the wind eastern hemlock and Carolina hemlock in the UN) and the Overseas Development across the Rift, and was able to become the eastern USA. Hemlock stands are Agency (ODA – now the UK Department established in this cooler part of the among the only old growth forests in this for International Development) to find an country. KEFRI scientists are very encour- part of the USA, and are of enormous envi- effective classical biological control solu- aged by this spread, and will carry out ronmental importance. However, although tion for the pest. After extensive surveys to determine its distribution in hemlocks in nurseries and most ornamental exploration in the Americas, Europe and other cypress-growing areas. They are also plantings can be protected by cultural and North Africa, and laboratory studies on nat- planning to carry out mass rearing of the chemical control practices, these are inap- ural enemies recovered from these surveys, parasitoid for releases around Mount propriate for forests and heavily wooded an aphidiine parasitoid, Pauesia juniper- Kenya and other major cypress growing ornamental landscapes, and native natural orum, from western Europe was identified areas where the parasitoid may not yet have enemies are ineffective against the intro- to be the most promising candidate. established. The discovery of the wide- duced pest.

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ExplorationintheFarEastbyMark states in the eastern United States in 1999 Biological Control McClure of the Connecticut Agricultural according to the protocol developed by Following investigations in southern USA, Experiment Station led in 1992 to the dis- McClure and Cheah. Mexico, and Central America between covery in Japan of a ladybird the size of a Source:McClure,M.S.;Cheah,C.A.S.-J. 1983 and 1986, three species were poppy seed, subsequently named Pseudo- (1998) Frontiers of Plant Science,Spring imported for host specificity testing. These scymnus tsugae, which has shown great 1998, pp. 6-8. are the mirid Rhinacloa callicrates and the potential as a biological control agent. Fol- bruchids ulkei and Penthobru- lowing host specificity studies, which Contact: Mark McClure, Connecticut chus germaini. demonstrated that it was a specific adelgid Agricultural Experiment Station, predator, the ladybird was permitted to be Valley Laboratory, 153 Cook Hill Rd., Rhinacloa callicrates, which stunts or kills imported into the USA in 1994. Since then, P. O. Box 248, Windsor, CT 06095, USA developing leaf and flower buds, was a mass rearing method has been developed Email: [email protected] approved for release in 1989. It has become that has resulted in more than 200,000 bee- Fax: +1 860 683 4987 established in Queensland but does no tles being reared for laboratory and field useful damage to the weed. Despite a experiments (from a starting colony of 50),  number of releases it failed to establish in and by this summer most of them will have either the Kimberley or the Northern Terri- been released in hemlock forests throughout Parkinsonia Problem tory. Mimosestes ulkei, a seed feeding the eastern United States. New Jersey Receding? bruchid, has been released in Queensland, Department of Agriculture is also now the Northern Territory and Western Aus- rearing large numbers of the in coop- In the last issue we dealt with biological tralia. It has established in Queensland and eration with McClure. control programmes against mesquite and the Northern Territory but seed infestation mimosa in Australia [BNI 20(1), 5N-7N]. rates are low. Penthobruchus germaini, The results of the studies by McClure and Here we deal with initiatives against a third another seed feeding bruchid, has been Carole Cheah have shown that P. tsugae leguminous shrubby weed. released in all states and has established feeds on all life stages of the adelgid, and its readily and spread rapidly. In the Territory Parkinsonia aculeata (parkinsonia) is a life cycle is well-synchronized with that of it is established throughout the Barkly woody, thorny shrub or small tree. It can its prey. Using yellow sticky traps and Tablelands, Gulf and Victoria River dis- form dense thickets, making areas inacces- direct sampling, it was demonstrated that tricts. It has spread up to 200 km from sible for man or , preventing access adult P. tsugae actively explore branches release sites and destroys up to 74% of to water, hindering mustering, and shading for adelgids and move off release trees into seeds. It is established through southwest, out valuable pastures1. It is native to hot the surrounding forest to find prey. Surveys central and northern Queensland where it and dry regions between southwestern in the springs of the following years destroys up to 99.7% of seed. showed that the introduced predator was USA and Argentina. Parkinsonia has been able to survive, both through the extremely introduced into and now grows in Cali- Official release programmes have ceased in cold and snowy winter of 1995-96 and the fornia, Florida, Hawaii, the Galapagos all states and landowners now distribute P. relatively mild and snowless winters of the Islands, South Africa, the drier parts of germaini by collecting infested pods from tropical Africa, most of India, Pakistan, the the field. Long term field monitoring is subsequent three years. The ability of P. 1 tsugae to survive a variety of winter condi- Middle East, Italy, and Cyprus . being conducted in Queensland. This spe- cies should be particularly effective in tions confirmed its establishment. Studies It was introduced into Australia in the late reducing parkinsonia seed production and since have demonstrated that it is success- 1800s or early 1900s2 as a shade tree for eventually its seed bank. fully developing, reproducing and sustaining planting around bores, dams and home- its population level; laboratory studies have steads. It is now well established in the Acknowledgments are due to Graham Don- indicated that the ladybirds adjust how catchments of the Fitzroy, Burdekin, Lake nelly who provided the information on many eggs they lay on a branch to the Eyre and Gulf river systems in Queensland, parkinsonia in Queensland and to Noel number prey available. as well as the Kimberley region of Western Wilson and Brian Thistleton who provided AustraliaandnorthernNewSouthWales. the information on parkinsonia in Western Recent results suggest that P. tsugae may In the Northern Territory parkinsonia Australia. be significantly reducing adelgid numbers infests some 230,000 ha of the Barkly in the field. Cage experiments in the field Sources: Tablelands, Gulf and Victoria River dis- demonstrated that adelgids were 88% less tricts. Parkinsonia tolerates a wide range of 1Wilson, C.G.; Miller, I.L. (1987) Parkin- numerous when P. tsugae was excluded. temperature and rainfall conditions, so has sonia in the Northern Territory. Northern Further experiments without cages showed the potential to become troublesome over Territory Department of Primary Industry that pest numbers were reduced 87% on considerably larger areas than are already and Fisheries Technical Bulletin, No. 106, branches onto which the ladybird had been affected3. 10 pp. released, and 27% on branches on which they had not been released. McClure and Control programmes, relying primarily on 2Woods, W. (1986) Biological control of Cheah suggest that this smaller reduction chemical and mechanical methods, have parkinsonia. Western Australian Journal of may reflect dispersal of the ladybirds from been conducted in various regions of Aus- Agriculture, 27, 80-83. the release branches. A comparison made tralia. Parkinsonia is susceptible to a range 3Parsons, W.T.; Cuthbertson, E.G. (1992) between areas of forest where P. tsugae had of soil or basally applied herbicides and Noxious weeds of Australia. Melbourne, and had not been released revealed that the blade ploughing. However its long-lived Australia; Inkata Press. adelgid populations had been reduced by seeds, which are readily distributed by 47-100% in five months following the water and stock, mean such programmes By: Grant Flanagan, Northern Territory introduction of only 2400-3600 adult lady- are costly and long term. In addition infes- Department of Primary Industry and birds. Based on these promising results, tations occur in remote and commercially Fisheries, Weeds Branch, P.O. Box 990, will be released in ten other infested low-value regions. Darwin, NT 0801, Australia News 51N

Email: [email protected] on scoparius. Seeds of native leg- species over time due to mutations. The Fax: +61 8 89992015 umes will also be checked for the presence entire genome is too large to examine in of beetles. total so molecular methods home in on  smaller, more manageable, sections (a So how will this affect the biological con- molecular version of sorting the wheat from trol of broom programme, and other Broom Beetle Gets Taste the chaff). biological control of weeds projects? No- for Tagasaste choice oviposition and development tests The simplest way to do this is to look for Researchers at Lincoln, New Zealand, have with palmensis and other RFLPs (restriction fragment length poly- found Bruchidius villosus, a seed-feeding close relatives of broom will be essential morphisms) between the isolates of beetle introduced into New Zealand and for other broom-feeding agents before we interest. This is achieved by cutting the Australia as a biological control agent for seek permission to release them as biolog- large DNA molecules with restriction Cytisus scoparius (broom)1, infesting seeds ical control agents. We would also like to enzymes. These are small proteins that rec- of Chamaecytisus palmensis (tree lucerne, do more realistic tests in the native range. ognize specific sequences of base pairs or tagasaste). This was not predicted by However, this will involve finding an area (normally four or six base pairs in length) host-specificity tests, or field records in in Europe where Chamaecytisus palmensis within a DNA molecule and then cut the Europe, which indicated that B. villosus will grow alongside Cytisus scoparius,pro- molecule at these sites. The smaller pieces was confined to Cytisus scoparius and a duce flowers and pods out-of-doors, and of DNA so-formed are known as restriction few very close relatives in the same genus. where we are permitted to plant it. This fragments. Mutations within the DNA can finding also emphasizes the importance of cause the formation or loss of restriction Chamaecytisus palmensis isgrowninparts considering the biology and phenology of enzyme recognition sites resulting in of New Zealand for re-vegetation and for both non-target , and biological con- smaller or larger fragments, respectively, forage, but it is also reported as a weed of trol agents, when designing and being formed. The resulting restriction natural areas. Originating from the Canary interpreting the results of host-range tests. fragments from different isolates are then Islands, it had not previously been exposed separated by loading them onto an agarose 1Syrett, P; Fowler, S.V.; Coombs, E.M.; to B. villosus, so was tested with beetles gel through which an electric current is Hosking, J.R.; Markin, G.P.; Paynter, Q.E.; prior to their release in New Zealand and passed (gel electrophoresis). Under these Sheppard, A.W. (1999) The potential for Australia. In choice oviposition tests, no conditions different sized fragments biological control of Scotch broom (Cytisus eggs were laid on pods of C. palmensis, migrate to different positions on the gel, scoparius) () and related weedy while female beetles laid freely on Cytisus thus creating a ladder of bands. Many of the species. Biocontrol News and Information scoparius. John Hosking (New South bands from different isolates will migrate to 20(1),17N-34N. Wales Agriculture) reared B. villosus from the same positions on the gel (indicating Cytisus scoparius and Cytisus cantabricus By: Pauline Syrett, Landcare Research, that there has been no change between the (a Spanish endemic difficult to distinguish P.O. Box 69, Lincoln, New Zealand isolates at these points) but some bands will from C. scoparius)inthefieldinEurope, Email: [email protected] differ in size due to the loss or gain of a but not from Cytisus purgans or Chamae- Fax: +64 3 325 2418 restriction enzyme cut site in one of the iso- cytisus hirsutus (in the same genus as C.  lates. It is these differences that are known palmensis). as restriction fragment length polymor- phisms. In general RFLPs are most useful One theory as to why host-range tests failed Biogeographic Fine-tuning for differentiating morphologically similar to predict that C. palmensis is an acceptable Helps Weed Biocontrol species. However, some RFLPs can be host for B. villosus, is that only choice tests found between isolates of the same species, were carried out, but the beetle encountered A common problem in introduction bio- especially within chloroplast and mito- a no-choice situation in the field in New control projects for alien invasive weeds is chondrial DNAs which tend to mutate at a Zealand. The beetles do not have an oblig- knowing where to look for natural enemies. faster rate than chromosomal DNA. atory diapause, and probably triggered, at Frequently, it is critical for the researcher to least in part, by feeding on broom pollen to have determined the native range of the The practical application of this technique become reproductive, have found C. pal- alien weed in question, as this information is illustrated by a study on the origins of a mensispollen a suitable alternative. Because provides a scientific basis for the surveys Ligustrum species that has become highly C. palmensis flowers much earlier than and decisions on what natural enemy spe- invasive in La Réunion and Mauritius. broom, reproductive beetles had either to cies should be selected for further study as Researchers at the University of St lay eggs on this plant, or wait several biocontrol agents. During the last decade, Andrews in Scotland took dried leaf sam- months, with full ovaries, for broom pods several molecular techniques have been ples obtained during initial surveys for to appear. developed which have helped biocontrol biocontrol agents in the purported area of practitioners resolve the taxonomic status origin of the plant, and subjected them to Not all pods on affected C. palmensis and distribution of alien weeds in relation to DNA RFLP analysis. The results enabled plants, nor all seeds within infected pods, non-pest species that are closely related. them to confirm beyond any reasonable contained beetles. Very preliminary data doubt that the species (Ligustrum robustum indicates that fewer seeds of C. palmensis DNA molecules are extremely large. The subsp. walkeri) has its origins in Sri Lanka, areinfestedbybeetlesthanseedsofCytisus genomic DNA of an organism can consist and not other localities in the Indian sub- scoparius growinginthesamearea.No of many millions of nucleotide bases pairs, continent. beetles were found infesting seeds of the the basic building blocks of the molecule. It native legume Sophora microphylla is the order of these base pairs that deter- However, for many notorious alien inva- growing at the same site. Infestation levels mines the genetic code, which makes an sive weeds, although the region of origin is of Chamaecytisus palmensis seeds will be organism what it is. Closely related organ- known, the native range can be extensive, monitored next season, at Lincoln, and in isms will share much of their genetic code covering a wide geographical area and sev- other areas where the beetle is established but differences can occur between isolates/ eral climatic zones. Examples include 52N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 2

Chromolaena odorata, Parthenium hyster- The distribution of such short binding sites each end and then the complimentary ophorus and Mikania micrantha,allof can be spread throughout the genome of an nucleotides to the two extra selective nucle- which are highly invasive in the Old World organism in a random manner. When the otides on the primer. In effect, we are and have extensive native ranges in Central RAPD products are separated by gel elec- amplifying a subset of the total number of and South America. Here it becomes trophoresis a number of bands can be restriction fragments and typical results important to identify the origins and observed (occasionally up to 20) and some yieldupto20bandsperprimer.Asthere number of the invasive populations as this of these can vary between isolates of the are four nucleotides that make up DNA (A, facilitates the matching of geographical same species. It is these different bands that C, G and T) this means there are 16 possible types (e.g. genetic or physiologically can be used as markers for specific popula- combinations of the two selective nucle- adapted forms) of natural enemies to these tions. However, problems can arise from otides (AA, AC, AG, AT, CA, CC, CG, particular weed populations. On the basis using the RAPD technique because of the CT, etc.) which can be added to the end of of this, meaningful comparisons of ‘bio- short length of the primers used, as miss- the selective primer. Using the full range of types’ of particular natural enemy species matches can occur during the second step 16 selective primers gives AFLP the poten- canthenbemade.Severalgroupsof of the reaction. It has also been demon- tial to generate large amounts of data in a workers are making exciting advances strated that the same DNA sample can yield relatively short space of time. The AFLP using a process referred to as random different RAPD patterns depending on the products are then separated by gel electro- amplification of polymorphic DNA how fast the PCR machine used to perform phoresis and the profiles from different (RAPD). the reactions heats up and cools down. This strains/populations compared by analysis in turn can be influenced by daily tempera- of their banding patterns. A measure of The RAPD technique is based on the use of ture fluctuations within the laboratory genetic relatedness is obtained by com- the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) a where the reactions are performed. For paring the number of bands shared by two method that enables the selective amplifi- these reasons great care must be exercised isolates in relation to the total number of cation of smaller sections of DNA within when carrying out RAPD analyses and bands each contains. Thus if two isolates larger molecules. PCR was made possible extensive controls must be performed with have identical banding patterns the genetic by the discovery of a thermostable DNA every run. polymerase (the enzyme used to synthesize distance between them would be zero. new DNA strands prior to cell division) However, when the RAPD technique The strength of the AFLP technique stems from a bacteria which lives in hot springs. works well it can yield excellent results. from the high specificity of the restriction The PCR method consists of three steps For example, from results obtained using enzyme used to digest the genomic DNA repeated many times. First, the double this technique, the Cooperative Research (Figure 1, step 1) and the high annealing strandedDNAtobeamplifiedisheatedto Centre For Tropical Pest Management, temperatures possible during the amplifica- cause the two strands to separate or melt. Australia was able to indicate that Parthe- tion reactions (Figure 1, steps 3 and 4). This Second, the solution is cooled to below the nium in Queensland is likely to have increased stringency (due to the longer melting temperature, and at this point short, originated from two areas in the southern primers and their subsequent higher single stranded pieces of DNA known as USA – northern and southern Texas. primers bind (anneal) to any regions of the annealing temperature) leads to much higher original DNA sample that have a comple- At CABI Bioscience, UK, we have been reproducibility for AFLP than is possible mentary sequence of nucleotide bases. The using the technique of amplified fragment with RAPD. However, as with all techniques third and final step raises the temperature of length polymorphism (AFLP). This is a rel- there are also drawbacks. With AFLP these the reaction to 72°C. At this temperature atively new technique1, which is based on include a need for high purity DNA samples the thermostable DNA polymerase finds the selective amplification of subsets of in greater quantities than required by other the regions of the original DNA which have restriction fragments by PCR (Figure 1). methods. Other possible pitfalls with AFLP primers bound to them and the enzyme then The technique is more reproducible than tend also to be true for other fingerprinting starts to make a new DNA strand using other fingerprinting methods, such as methods. When analyzing banding patterns nucleotides present in the reaction. Each set RAPD, because it utilizes the highly spe- it must be assumed that bands migrating to of these three steps is known as a cycle. At cific action of restriction enzymes to digest the same position in two samples are the the end of each cycle the amount of DNA genomic DNA. These restriction fragments same piece of DNA. For populations within flanked by primers has doubled and after 30 are then joined to adapters by a DNA a species this is probably true for the vast to 40 such cycles the reaction contains ligase. Adapters are short (around 20 base majority of bands. However, this may be far many millions more copies of these regions pairs in length) double stranded pieces of less likely when comparing species; in this than at the beginning of the PCR process. DNA, at one end of which is a region com- instance, the method of choice would be to The region amplified depends on the plementary to the restriction enzyme which compare either the nucleotide sequence of primers added at the beginning of the has been used to fragment the DNA, thus one specific region of the genome, or RFLPs process; these may be specific to a partic- allowing the adapter to join to the ends of within a region as was done in the chloro- ular region of the genome, such as a gene the digested genomic DNA. The sequence plast study of Ligustrum. itself, or, as in the case of RAPD, of a of the remainder of the adapter can be random sequence. Indeed RAPD differs determined by the researcher. The adapter/ The AFLP method has been used to assess from the majority of PCR reactions in that ligated fragments are then amplified by genetic diversity for a wide range of eco- it uses very short primers (ten bases in PCR using one of the adapter strands as a nomically important crops such as wheat, length compared to approximately 20 bases primer to bulk up the total number of DNA rice, maize, carrot, sunflowers and soy- used in most other PCR reactions). As molecules. The final step is to perform a bean. It has also been used for similar RAPD primers are so short they find many second selective amplification using the purposes for bacterial and fungal pathogens more binding sites than the longer primers same primer as before, but with two extra of such crops. To date we are aware of little used in other reactions; the chance of nucleotides added to one end. This step in the way of published studies on the finding a match for a ten-base primer being selectively amplifies only those restriction genetic diversity between populations of much greater that that for a 20-base primer. fragments that have an adapter ligated to weeds. News 53N

selectively amplifies only the fragments with TA next to adapter (1/16 of all fragments)

Figure 1. Outline of the AFLP technique2.

In a project funded by DfID (the UK from an area where it has been introduced it has been introduced to India on at least two Department for International Develop- is important to obtain a large number of separate occasions, although more analysis ment), we have been using the AFLP samples from the original locality. This ofthesedataisnecessarybeforeafirmcon- technique to investigate the levels of ensures that an accurate assessment of the clusion can be made. genetic variation within populations from genetic diversity within the original loca- the original location of the weed Mikania tion is obtained. Without such a large 1Vos, P.; Hogers, R.; Bleeker, M.; Reijans, micrantha in the Neotropics, and com- sample size it is possible that one may have M.; Van de Lee, T.; Hornes, M.; Frijters, paring these with populations from sites sampled unusual populations, thus skewing A.; Pot, J.; Peleman, J.; Kuiper, M.; where the weed has been introduced in comparisons to those populations investi- Zabeau, M. (1995) AFLP: a new technique India. When comparing isolates from the gated from the introduced sites. Preliminary for DNA fingerprinting. Nucleic Acid original locality of an organism to those results appear to indicate that M. micrantha Research 23, 4407-4414. 54N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 2

2Method based on: Mueller, U.G.; Lipari, alters the hydrology of marshes by able at a maximum of 50%. However, S.E.; Milgroom, M.G. (1996) Amplified accreting sediment. If intolerance to although experimental releases were made fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fin- Prokelisia spp. in the field correlates with in Ghana and operational releases in gerprinting of the symbiotic fungi cultured that in the greenhouse, biological control Zambia, the technique was found to need by the fungus-growing ant Cyphomyrmex by this planthopper could contribute to more personnel on the ground than conven- minutus. Molecular Ecology 5, 119-122. management of cordgrass populations sen- tional release methods. It has been This differs from many other published sitive to this insect. Prokelisia spp. are suggested that in perhaps only one case AFLP methods in using a single restriction stenophagous, and could pose little threat to could releases not have been made more enzyme (Pst I) instead of two and in sepa- other plant genera. Neither the biological cheaply and more easily by car. The current rating the AFLP products by agarose gel basis nor the inheritance of cordgrass vul- IITA programme for the release of cassava electrophoresis instead of denaturing PAGE nerability to the Prokelisia spp. are known. mite natural enemies is relying on land- (polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). The Care would be needed to prevent increase based methods. adaptation we have introduced is to add a of more resistant clones after introduction preselective amplification step as we have of the planthopper for biological control. Aerial releases of have, however, found this to improve yield and uniformity been used in sterile insect technique (SIT) By:DonaldR.StrongandMei-YinWu of our AFLP patterns. programmes. During the programme which Contact: Donald R. Strong, led to the successful eradication of tsetse fly By: Alex Reid and Sean Murphy, CABI Bodega Marine Laboratory, from Zanzibar, up to 1000 sterile male flies Bioscience Box 247, Bodega Bay, per week were released from the air [BNI Contact: Sean Murphy, CABI Bioscience CA 94923, USA 18(4), 107N-108N]. A method developed UK Centre (Ascot), Silwood Park, Email: [email protected] for SIT release is being adapted in Guate- mala, where augmentative releases of a Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7TA, UK Fax: +1 875 2089 braconid parasitoid, Diachasmimorpha Email: [email protected]  Fax: +44 1491 829123 tryoni,arebeingusedaspartofapro- gramme to contain the medfly (Ceratitis  Fast and Furious: Release capitata) on the mountainous Guatemalan/ Methods Mexican border [BNI 18(4), 108N]. In American Insects Feed on early trials, paper bags containing the para- Tapping them out of tubes, blowing them sitoids were released from aircraft. English Cordgrass off tissue, shaking them off cotton wool However, packaging the natural enemies in wisps… the business of releasing natural Spartina anglica, English cordgrass, has this way was not practical, given the num- enemies in the field is frequently both labo- been isolated from North American herbiv- bers needed for a release area of 100 km² or rious and uncertain. One of the biggest ores since its 19th Century amphidiploid more. Instead, a method of chilled aerial challenges for any biological control pro- hybrid origin in the south of England. The release developed by the US Department of gramme is to get natural enemies out into parents were Spartina alterniflora,smooth Agriculture (USDA) for sterile medfly thefield,attherightplace,attherighttime cordgrass, presumably introduced to UK as release was tried for parasitoid releases. and in sufficient numbers. In the past, mass cast-off ship’s ballast, and the native Euro- The wasps were chilled at 2.2-3.9°C before release methods have been developed for pean Spartina maritima.Wehavefound being released at about 6 am (optimum releasing beneficial organisms over large that a population of this estuarine plant, wind and temperature conditions) at 30-80 areas, and inventive approaches were used introduced several decades ago to Puget m above level ground from a twin-engined for releasing them in remote terrain or into Sound, Washington State, was highly vul- aircraft travelling at 200-240 k.p.h. Pre- the forest canopy. Now, with large-scale nerable to Prokelisia spp. planthoppers release damage to the wasps was found to implementation of biological control on the from California. These planthoppers are the be minimal and mortality low (and both increase, particularly in commercial con- most widespread and prominent insect her- were less than for the ‘paper bag’ method). cerns where labour costs are critical, there bivores on S. alterniflora in areas where Although it was difficult to assess post- is room for more innovation. Here we this plant is native in North America. With release mortality with any accuracy as wasp describe some tried-and-tested (and in high planthopper densities, more than 90% recapture numbers were small, live and some cases discarded) methods and outline of the S. anglica plants died in our green- active wasps were recovered following progress with some novel techniques. house experiment, while less than 1% died both parasitoid and mixed sterile medfly/ at low hopper densities. Plant mortalities By Plane parasitoid releases. Experimental releases were also nil for the North American spe- were then made over coffee farms at some cies of S. alterniflora and Spartina foliosa In the 1980s, the Africa-wide Biological 1250-1350 m above the coffee (the lowest (which coexist with these planthoppers) Control Program (ABCP) of the Interna- possible operational height in the hilly ter- even at very high insect densities in green- tional Institute of Tropical Agriculture rain). Live parasitoids were found house culture and in the field. The only (IITA) pioneered the use of aircraft. They throughout the dropping zone within 15 other cordgrass population known to be experimented with the low-level flying minutes of release, and most were recov- intolerant of Prokelisia spp. is the alien S. techniques used for crop-spraying to ered within 100-200 m of the flight path. alterniflora in Willapa Bay, Washington, release natural enemies (Apoanagyrus However, before this method can be used which has been exiled from Prokelisia spp. lopezi) of cassava mealybug. An Automatic on a regular basis, more field trials are since introduction from the Atlantic at least Insect Release System (AIRS) installed in needed. Despite an urgency to move for- 60 years ago. the rear of a twin turbo-prop aircraft ward on the part of the scientists involved, released the wasps into the slipstream of the funding is currently constraining further English cordgrass invades the open inter- aircraft. In experimental releases (with the work. tidal mud of Pacific estuaries of North aircraft flying very low) in which the wasps America, jeopardizing native flora and were recovered on plastic sheets, natural Contact: Felipe Jeronimo, fauna of saltmarshes. This invasive plant enemy mortality was judged to be accept- USDA-APHIS-PPG, News 55N

Guatemala Station/La Aurora Lab, rier, although there were no reports of any Email: Guatemala City, Guatemala accidents during the decade it was used. [email protected] Email: [email protected] Nowadays, the Chinese have reverted to Fax: +61 7 3379 6815 Fax: +502 333 5446 more conventional techniques for releasing the fungal preparations. Speed is of the essence where cost is con- Raining Spores cerned. Commercial companies are leaders Contact: Zengzhi Li, Department of Aerial release of microbial control agents in developing automated release systems, Forestry, Anhui Agricultural University, presents fewer problems than for insects, but USDA Agricultural Research Service Hefei Anhui, and equipment similar, or identical, to that (ARS) scientists have come up with some People’s Republic of China 230036 used for pesticide spraying can often be novel inventions designed to cut down Email: [email protected] used. The Metarhizium formulation Green labour costs. Fax: +86 551 246 244 Muscle® for locust control is usually Flying Saucers applied by ultralow volume (ULV) Cleaning Up methods, and spraying can be done from Sightings of UFOs bearing alien species the air at as little as 0.5 litres/ha, as well as Graham Greene may have thought of it may soon escalate if current work by ARS from vehicles or on foot. first, but ‘Our Men in Queensland’ put it to scientists in California bears fruit. They practical use. Allan Tomley and Graham have developed a device to deploy benefi- In the last issue of BNI, we reported on the Hardwick incorporated the humble vacuum cial insects and mites strategically in crop use of the fungal pathogen Phloeospora cleaner into an efficient system for col- fields, and have applied for a US patent. mimosae-pigrae against mimosa in northern lecting fungal spores of rubber vine rust, Australia, where helicopters are being used Maravalia cryptostegiae, and delivering The Aerodynamic Transport Body (ATB) is for large-scale releases. Bertie Hennecke them to Cryptostegia grandiflora in the more descriptively called the Bugslinger. says that when he was considering applica- canopy, at sites reached on foot, and by Based on the design of targets used in clay tionmethods,hewantedtoavoid four-wheel drive vehicle and light aero- pigeon (skeet or trap) shooting, the ATB is a complicated changes to spraying equipment. plane. [Also see BNI 18(3),66N.] lightweight, disk-shaped container for Therefore, he used the same equipment used housing the beneficial insects, with suitably for aerial application of herbicide. The The fungus was bulked up by culturing on sized exit holes for their escape after landing. spraytank was rinsed with water before rubber vine seedlings. Spores were har- The launcher for the disks can be mounted filling it with a ‘broth’ containing the spores vested using a large cyclone type spore on the back of a vehicle and, because the and also methyl cellulose as a sticking agent, collector manufactured from PVC tubing disks can thus be launched from the edge of so rain did not wash the inoculum off the and powered by suction from either a bat- fields, both natural enemy deployment time plants. T Jet 8008E nozzles were used on a tery operated mini vacuum cleaner or a and crop damage/soil compaction are 15-m-wide boom and the inoculum was domestic vacuum cleaner with a restrictor reduced. The disk reaches a maximum speed sprayed at a rate of 100 litres/ha, with the fitted to the inlet to reduce airflow. The of some 175 k.p.h. (110 m.p.h.) with a 175G helicopter flying about 0.5 m above the spores once dried could be stored at 4°C for rotational force before landing, but good sur- plants. Inoculations were carried out late in 7-10 days after harvest without losing via- vival of these relatively astronomical the afternoon to make use of the calmest pos- bility. In the field, a rainwater based spore stresses was recorded for Aphelinus nr. par- sible spraying conditions, and to take suspension, containing approximately 1.5 × amali wasps in field trials. The prototype 4 advantage of the increasing humidity sup- 10 spores/ml, was prepared and applied devices are about 10 cm in diameter and 2.5 ported by evening rain. using a 35 cc 1.25 kW petrol powered cm high, and are made of powdered lime- knapsack misting machine to the foliage of stone, but disks could be of more degradable Contact: Bertie Hennecke, Department of rubber vine at several half-hectare sites in materials such as paper, oatmeal, tree bark, Primary Industry and Fisheries, the remote Gulf country of North Queens- alfalfa hay, compacted fertilizer pellets or Weeds/Biocontrol, GPO Box 990, land. This method allowed the placement of compressed peat moss. Darwin, NT 0801, Australia spore suspension on leaves of rubber vine Email: [email protected] towers up to 20 m above ground level, Shaken Not Stirred Fax: +61 8 8999 2015 which led to establishment of the rust and Speed, precision and high survival rate are facilitated its early dispersal. The method Forest pests and weeds in the canopy are described as outstanding features of the proved very practical for remote sites, as difficult to reach with any form of control Mite Meter. The prototype of this machine the misting machine was small and quite agent, but some ingenious methods have consists of a small chilled holding tank in portable. They flew around the Gulf been used to propel pathogens from the which the beneficial mites or predators rest country in atrocious wet season conditions, ground up into the treetops. within vermiculite or other carrier material. landing on wet slippery bush airstrips, but A tiny gate dispenses precise amounts of Bombing Beauveria this ensured the rain necessary for germina- the mite/carrier mix onto a variable-speed tion of the spores. In the 1970s, ‘mortar bombs’ containing narrow conveyor belt. At the end of the firecrackers were used for Beauveria bas- Source: Tomley, A.J.; Hardwick, G. (1996) belt, the mixture falls to the ground. siana release in tall pine plantations in Bulking up, field distribution and establish- southern China for control of the Masson’s ment of rubber vine rust, Maravalia The Mite Meter, mounted on a tractor, can pine caterpillar (Dendrolimus punctatus), cryptostegiae in far north Queensland. In: dispense 500-20,000 mites per hour over a andprovedtobeaneffectivemethodof 11th Australian Weeds Conference Pro- 4-ha (10-acre) area, in a form of carpet application. However, the technique was ceedings, pp. 237-238. bombing. In field trials, more than 95% sur- abandoned in the 1980s as the increasing vival was recorded for the predatory mite price of firecrackers made it prohibitively Contact: Allan Tomley, Alan Fletcher Galendromus occidentalis and the preda- expensive and the regulation of such goods Research Station, Department of Natural tory bug Geocoris punctipes –butitdid as firecrackers and fireworks became Resources, PO Box 36, Sherwood, prove too rough a journey for parasitic stricter. It was a potentially dangerous car- Queensland 4075, Australia wasps. 56N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 2

Crucial to the success of this apparatus is Set a Thief… (Meligethes aeneus) are widespread and the design of the holding tank, which con- important pests of oilseed rape and other cru- From high-tech to low cunning now… sists of an inner 1.5-litre bottle fitted into an cifers throughout Europe; they feed and some biocontrol scientists are looking to oviposit in buds and flowers, particularly in insulated jug. Keeping the beneficials cool recruit other insects to disperse natural ene- spring-sown crops. This causes the buds and and comfortable is critical, otherwise they mies for them. In the last issue, Nguya flowers to drop and no pods are formed. would start to move around quickly in the Maniania and David Nadel of ICIPE tank, notably upwards and away from the described their work on developing a In these trials, the presence of fungus-car- gateandmeteringbelt,andthiscouldlead system that uses artificially infected tsetse ryinghoneybeesinthecagedplotscaused to significant variations in application rate. flies to spread the insect-pathogenic fungus considerable mortality of pollen beetles The relatively small amount of carrier is Metarhizium anisopliae through a tsetse collected from the plots of both winter- and also an advantage: beneficials could come population [BNI 20(1), 7N-8N]. spring-sown rape and then incubated in the supplied in the dispensing flasks in the A number of other studies have investigated laboratory. Moreover, mortality was appropriate volume of carrier, with no need the potential of a beneficial species, the greatest (at 61% and 100% in winter and for any on-farm mixing. This would both honey bee. The honey bee’s hairy body, spring rape, respectively) during peak flow- save time and minimize handling and, which is adapted for collecting and carrying ering when feeding activity of bees and therefore, mortality. pollen, also allows it to carry fungal and bac- beetles from flowers was maximal... the terial spores. It has already been tested for optimum conditions for inoculum dissemi- On the Siegfried Line disseminating bacterial and viral agents for nation and infection. Conidial sporulation control of pests and diseases on crops was found to occur on a significant propor- A US-patent has been granted for a loading including strawberries, apples, sunflowers tion of the dead pollen beetles, while there device invented by ARS scientists in and clover. More recently, honey bees have was no evidence that the fungus had any Georgia, which attaches beneficial insect been shown to be effective vectors of M. ani- adverse effect on the bees. eggs onto strings. The system, suitable for sopliae. As the fungus is transmitted by insects such as lacewings, saves time as contact and does not need the agent to be Source: Butt, T.M.; Carreck, N.L.; Ibrahim, laying strings laden with eggs onto plants is ingested, the prospects for commercial L.; Williams, I.H. (1998) Honey-bee-medi- ated infection of pollen beetle (Meligethes far quicker than tapping the eggs out of development of this system are good. aeneus Fab.) by the insect-pathogenic tubes. It also reduces wastage: some eggs For field trials conducted at Rothamsted fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae. Biocon- emptied from tubes inevitably fall to the Experiment Station, UK, hives were fitted trol Science and Technology 8, 533-538. ground and are eaten by predators, but the with inoculum dispensers at their entrances. attached eggs are far more secure on the Each dispenser deposited dry conidia of M. Contact: Professor Ingrid Williams, plant and the strings don’t blow away – but anisopliae on the honey bees as they left the IACR-Rothamsted, Harpenden, Herts. neither do they impede plant growth. hive to forage. Results indicated that the AL5 2JQ, UK honey bees were an effective agent for deliv- Email: [email protected] Source for USDA information: Agricul- ering the fungus to the flowers of oilseed Fax: +44 1582 760981 tural Research Service press releases, http:/ rape in caged plots, and so disseminating it /www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr to a flower pest in this crop. Pollen beetles 

Biorational

Integrated pest management (IPM) involves FieldtrialstoassesstheIPMmodulesfor The Centre has also developed IPM strate- the use of many techniques, including bio- cotton were conducted at Nanded Cotton gies for basmati rice, mustard, linseed and logical control, to provide effective control Research Station (Marathwada Agricul- ber (Ziziphus mauritiana) and these have of crop pests with minimum harmful side- tural University) and in farmers’ fields. been fine tuned on the basis of the results of effects. Those techniques that are compat- Bio-intensive, biocontrol + intercrop and validation field trials, whilst IPM pro- ible with the use of biological control or biocontrol + insecticide treatments were grammes for chickpea and pigeonpea are have little impact on natural enemies have compared with a pesticide-based treatment. under development. On the information been described as ‘biorational’. The bio-intensive treatment (which front, a cotton pest management informa- included spraying with the biopesticide tion system is now ready for release, and IPM in Cotton Wins Aphidin (against sucking pests), Bacillus databases for rice and some pulse crops are Approval thuringiensis K II, 5% neem seed kernel under construction. In an area seen as extract and sulphur 80 WP, and releasing important for the Centre, forecasting The success of a bio-intensive IPM module Trichogramma chilonis) gave best seed methods are being designed and tested for developed for cotton is highlighted in the cotton yields in farmers fields (1304 kg/ha) Helicoverpa and for Myzus persicae in Annual Report (1997-98) of the Indian and the highest net income (Rs23810/ha); potato, and forecasting risks to crops from a National Centre for Integrated Pest Man- this was nearly three times the income number of diseases is being studied. The agement (NCIPM)*. The Centre has a derived with the pesticide treatment. The Centre is also involved in a surveillance mandate to develop and promote IPM tech- module has been a success with farmers, and management programme for nema- nologies for major crops to sustain higher who are keen to adopt it, and there are plans todes in rice and wheat in northern India. crop yields with minimum ecological to make it more widely available for cotton Distribution maps of 13 pests and diseases implications. farmers elsewhere in India. of major crops in India are now available. News 57N

In the research support and transfer of tech- zations. Recent activities in the promotion *NCIPM (1998) Annual Report 1997-98. nology section, there is a strong emphasis of biological control in IPM have included New Delhi, India; National Centre for Inte- on the biological control component of technical support to the Central Institute for grated Pest Management, 80 pp. IPM. Research is being conducted on mass Cotton Research, Regional Station Sirsa on Contact: NCIPM, rearing techniques, and the centre is mass pro- the establishment of biological control Lal Bahadur Shastri Building, ducing host insects (Corcyra cephalonica and Pusa Campus, facilities. Technology transfer has included Helicoverpa armigera), parasitoids (Tricho- New Delhi-110 012, gramma chilonis, Trichogramma japonicum facilitating farmer training in IPM tech- India and Chelonus blackburni), predators niques in a number of crops in Haryana and Email: [email protected] (Chrysoperla carnea) and pathogens (H. Uttar Pradesh, and providing training in Fax: +91 11 5765472 armigera nuclear polyhedrosis virus) for cotton IPM for resource personnel from the field release and for supply to other organi- pesticide industry.  Training News

In this section we welcome all your experi- control and compared the usefulness of dif- pests, diseases and beneficial insects and ences in working directly with the end- ferent methods for nursery bed soil record these visually on posters for discus- users of and microbial biocon- preparation. FFS farmers in all groups were sion. These analyses were modified to trol agents or in educational activities on able to reduce production costs, improve include macroscopic observations such as natural enemies aimed at students, farmers, yields and apply the IPM principles learnt percentage germination, root-shoot length extension staff or policymakers. to other crops in their farms. However, measurement, rootknot nematode galling many questions came up on the effective- index in tomato seedlings, and kale leaf Kenyan Farmers Validate ness of traditional methods, and to address quality scoring. Field observations were these CABI, KARI and KIOF facilitated backed up by microscopic laboratory Traditional Methods innovative farmer participatory research assessments such as nematode counts from methods in 1998 with two established FFS soil samples and sampled seedlings. The Farmer Field School (FFS) training has groups. farmers divided into three groups to been conducted in Kenya since 1996 organize observations and data collection through a collaborative project of IPM staff Organicfarmersandanall-womentomato via AgroEcosystem Analysis preparation at CABI Africa Regional Centre with the growers group conducted season-long and presentation. The group secretaries Kenya Agricultural Research Institute research into traditional methods for pest and entered the data collected into structured (KARI), the Coffee Research Foundation disease management according to their partic- record sheets. In the plenary, each secretary (CRF) of Kenya, the Ministry of Agricul- ular interests. These validation experiments presented data, which was filled into a large ture Livestock Development & Marketing quantified and assessed the effectiveness of flip chart. The facilitator encouraged dis- (MOALD&M) and the Kenya Institute of the following methods: Organic Farming (KIOF). The target crop- cussions, which formed the basis for the next course of action. In the discussions, the ping system is smallholder mixed cropping • Nursery bed hygiene methods (trash- researchers, farmers and extension staff of coffee and vegetables (mainly kale, cab- burning, hot water and incorporation participated in contributing ideas. In the bage and tomato) in the central highlands. of Mexican marigold) for control of nursery bed hygiene experiment, questions Many small-scale farmers in these areas rootknot nematode in tomato have virtually abandoned their coffee included: bushes due to low coffee prices and the rise • Marigold and chilli concoctions for • What are the differences in seedling in pesticide costs. Those growing tomatoes control of aphid and caterpillars in establishment in each treatment? for the local market spend an increasing kales proportion of their production costs on • Pegging (placement of a thin stick • Which nursery is preferred and why? insecticides and fungicides. next to the seedling stalk so that cut- • What should be done and by whom worm cannot coil around and bite FFS groups were set up in four agro-eco- before the next meeting? (e.g. weed- through stem) and ash for control of logical zones with approximately 65 ing, watering) cutworms farmers in total including organic farmers • Are there any specific materials or and those using pesticides. Each group car- • Foliar sprays of diluted milk to delay tools that need to be brought along in ried out weekly observations on small plots onset of blight in tomato the next meeting? If yes, who will in the field to compare their usual cultiva- bring what? tion and pest control practices with various The farmers participated on an equal basis IPM options. They also conducted experi- with researchers in trial design, manage- • What went right today (facilitation, ments on alternative crop management ment, data collection and evaluation. time keeping, learning)? methods, including traditional methods for Farmers took the lead in teaching • What went wrong? How will this be insect pest and disease control. The tomato researchers the practical use of traditional corrected? growers, in particular, discovered the ben- methods while the scientists advised on efit of preparing compost and using liquid trial lay-out, replication and assessment At the end of the session, scientists took manures and plant tonics to produce more parameters. Farmers were already familiar back the record sheets with records to the robust plants. The organic groups learnt to with weekly field observations for AgroEc- office for statistical analysis while the facil- look at the efficacy of botanical and other osystem Analysis through their FFS itator copied the same in his/her field note homemade extracts for pest and disease experience, where they study crop health, book. The data on the large flip chart 58N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 2 remained with the FFS group; thus the and KIOF. Further research will look in flower, for example) that are attacked by farmers developed their own learning mate- detail at the efficacy of chilli solutions for Liriomyza but where pesticide usage has rials and records. kale pest management and their effect on been low. A small number of old leaves are key syrphid natural enemies. The facilita- sampled, and the numbers of Liriomyza and Preliminary analysis of results showed that tors have gained useful experience and parasitoids (principally Hemiptarsenus trash-burning was the most effective soil confidence in conducting simple but rig- spp. and braconids) are compared. If para- treatment in terms of overall seedling orous experiments to answer questions sitoids represent 75% or more of the total health, followed by dried marigold. In the posed by farmers. Conducting research as number, then the leaves are regarded as experiment on botanical concoctions for an FFS group also provided material bene- suitable for use as parasitoid carriers for aphid and diamondback moth (DBM) con- fits to each member and strengthened group augmentation release. trol in kales, Karate (lambda-cyhalothrin) cohesion. Fresh produce from the kale sam- application produced the best quality leaves pling sessions was shared between Farmers collect Liriomyza-attacked leaves but there was no difference between the participants and each member took home from the area from which the samples were insecticide and highly concentrated chilli 200 seedlings from the nursery experiments taken. These leaves are tied in bundles of solution treatments in production of mar- to plant on individual plots. The remaining five. Each bundle is hung on the tip of a 50- ketable leaves. The groups found that fresh seedlings were sold to neighbours and the cm-long stick, which is pushed into the marigold tea repels DBM larvae for a few profits entered into the FFS group account. ground, with one stick for every 10-m² area. hours only. Chilli sprays reduce pest num- Farmer participatory research of this type Then–inasimplebutcleverstep–asmall bers by 50% in the first week after reinforces IPM training programmes and depression is made around the stick. The application but these build up again so chilli stimulates the adaptation and implementa- Liriomyza larvae are first to emerge from needs to be sprayed every 14 days for effec- tion of IPM options which address the the leaves, and they drop down to the tive control. In the cutworm experiment, no problems of smallholder farmers. ground to pupate. Five days after the stick kale seedlings were lost in either the peg- was planted in the ground, the depression is ging or the ash treatments, compared to 5% Contact: Martin Kimani, IPM Coordinator, filled in by heaping up earth, and the Lirio- loss due to cutworm damage in control CABI Africa Regional Centre, ICRAF myza pupae are buried and die. The plots. Farmers decided to use pegging as Complex, PO Box 633, Village Market, parasitoids emerge later: Hemiptarsenus the favoured control option as it keeps cut- Nairobi, Kenya pupates in the leaf gallery made by Lirio- worms available for natural enemies. In the Email: [email protected] myza and the adult emerges by piercing the tomato disease experiment, the fungicide Fax: +254 2 522150 epidermis, but braconid larvae crawl out of treatments and control plots performed the leaf, drop to the ground, and pupate on better than milk spray plots although some  the fresh soil surface. farmers want to repeat the experiment under dry season conditions when they Augmenting Liriomyza In some areas augmentation is conducted claim milk can be effective. Parasitoids about every two weeks after planting, else- Joint evaluation of the results has enabled where, action is based on observation. An ingenious method being developed by the farmers to compare different traditional However, the efficacy of this method has Indonesian plant protection staff to enable methods with synthetic pesticide treat- not yet been assessed, and the need to do farmers to augment Liriomyza parasitoid ments and no-intervention control plots in this is beginning to be addressed by two- or populations was described at an interna- terms of cost, labour, efficacy, duration of three-weekly sampling and comparison of tional workshop held at Tanah Rata, effect, quality of produce and possible side- parasitoid and Liriomyza populations. Cameron Highlands, Malaysia in January effects on beneficial insects. These compar- 1999. The workshop was organized by the isons help them to make better informed Contact: Mr Zamzami, Head of Field CABI South-East Asia Regional Centre decisions on their crop management options. Laboratory, Plant Protection Centre Region (SEARC) and was held to collate informa- The research organizations involved have II, Jln. Raden Saleh 2, Padang, tion on the state of Liriomyza in South-east benefited by more direct links with farmers West Sumatera, Indonesia Asia and to identify national needs and cri- and are now expanding their research Email: [email protected] teria including inter-country linkages. agenda to include on-farm experimentation Fax: +62 751 55587 on traditional methods, in close collabora- In western Sumatra, field laboratory staff tion with farmer trainers from extension survey areas of a farmer’s crop (cauli-  Internet Round-up

By: Tony Little, Technical Support Group to http://ipmworld.umn.edu/ evance. So it proved to be here. The chapter the Global IPM Facility, CABI Bioscience. ‘Biological control: approaches and applica- This is the University of Minnesota's elec- tions’ has a section on augmentation, which In this issue, ‘Internet Round-up’ focuses tronic textbook of integrated pest serves as a nice introduction to the subject. on augmentative biocontrol. There is in fact management featuring contributed chapters But the other reason I like this site is that it quite a lot of information out there, but you by internationally recognized experts, and have to know where to look for it – using is rapidly becoming one of my favourite is fantastically well linked, listing close on the search engines gets you nowhere fast. sites. I increasingly use it as starting point 100 sites relevant to IPM. for biocontrol information searches; since I started with Radcliffe's IPM World Text- the book is fairly comprehensive, the Of these I chose Mid-West Biological Con- book at chances are you will find something of rel- trol News Online at News 59N http://www.wisc.edu/entomology/mbcn/ (ARS) of USDA. Staying with USDA, the which includes a few papers on augmenta- mbcn.html Insect Biocontrol Lab at tive biocontrol, and is quite a useful resource generally. http://www.barc.usda.gov/psi/ibl/ which I have found useful from time to ibl.htm time. Augmentative biocontrol crops up in The LUBILOSA (for French speakers: a couple of back issues (Volume I, No. 4, gives details of its work on physiological LUtte BIologique contre les LOcustes et les ‘Augmentation: the periodic release of nat- contributions to augmentative biocontrol of SAuteriaux) site at ural enemies’ and Volume VI, No. 1, whiteflies and weeds. ‘Quality of natural enemies’). www.cgiar.org/iita/research/ Some of the biocontrol companies web LUBILOSA/index.htm Parasitoid rearing systems are discussed at pages are also worth a visit, particularly several sites, for example the Technology Koppert’s at Transfer Information Center (United States describes the exciting project involving the Department of Agriculture (USDA)) at http://www.koppert.nl/english/ inundative release of the entomopathogenic resear.htm fungus Metarhizium anisopliae for the con- http://www.nal.usda.gov/ttic/tektran/ trol of locusts and grasshoppers, and the tektran.html development of a commercial product, Wageningen Agricultural University has a ‘Green Muscle’, which was registered in database that lists its research publications which has a database of selected pre-publi- at South Africa last year [see BNI 20(1),5N]. cation notices of recent research results from the Agricultural Research Service http://www.agralin.nl/luwpubs/ 

Announcements

Are you producing a newsletter, holding a Brighton Conference Vertebrate Conference meeting, running an organization or Focuses on Weeds rearing a natural enemy that you want The 19th Vertebrate Pest Conference will other biocontrol workers to know about? The control of temperate and tropical be held in San Diego, California on 6-9 March 2000. This is the latest in a biennial Send us the details and we will announce it weeds will take centre stage at this year’s conference series held to bring together in BNI. Brighton Conference, to be held on 15-18 vertebrate pest management specialists November 1999, organized by the British from around the world, and aims to make Crop Protection Council (BCPC). Herbi- significant contributions toward the under- Invasive Alien Plants cide use will be contrasted with biological standing and resolution of vertebrate pest and organic control systems, and there will problems. Papers are expected to include The 5th International Conference on the discussion on advances in precision aspects of vertebrate pests related to: their Ecology of Invasive Alien Plants will be farming and in-field weed management management; urban wildlife; reforestation held on 13-16 October 1999, at La Madde- techniques. Sessions will also be held to problems; new conventional and alterna- lena, Sardinia, Italy. This is the continuation review new regulatory issues and environ- tive management methods and materials; of a series of meetings, (the last held in mental issues such as herbicide-tolerant human, domestic and wildlife Berlin in 1997 [see BNI 19(1), 8N]) and will crops. Communication will be the subject health; endangered species programmes; concentrate on issues of invasions and their of the 26th Bawden Lecture in which Pro- and economic, social and political issues. effects on ecosystems that have been iden- fessor Christine Bruhn, Director of the tified as important during these preceding Centre for Consumer Research at the Uni- Contact: Vertebrate Pest Conference, meetings. The Conference will be of versity of California will open the c/o Terrell P. Salmon, DANR – North Region, interest to biological control practitioners Conference with a paper entitled ‘Public communication: the foundation of global University of California, since it emphasizes the scale of weed prob- progress’. The week in Brighton begins on One Shields Avenue, lems around the world. In addition, it will Monday 15 November with a highly topical Davis, be attended by potential collaborators and one-day symposium entitled ‘International CA 95616-8575, would provide a good forum for pre and crop protection: achievements and USA. post-release studies. ambitions’. Email: tpsalmon@ucdavis edu Internet: http://www.davis.com/~vpc Contact: Prof. I. Camarda/Dr Giuseppe Contact: Brighton Conference Secretariat, The proceedings of the 18th Vertebrate Pest Brundu, Dipartimento di Botanica ed 8 Cotswold Mews, Ecologia Vegetale, Conference have been published and are Battersea Square, London available from Sydni Gillette at the above Università di Sassari, SW11 3RA, address [e-mail: [email protected]]. Italy UK Price: US$25.00 +$4.00 postage and han- Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] dling (USA); overseas postage rates available Fax: +39 79 228611/+39 335 237315 Fax: +44 171 924 1790 on application.    60N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 2

Conference Reports

Nicaragua Hosts Joint (‘Regional efforts on whitefly control’, such distinctly Asian biological control Event ‘Impact of whitefly on agriculture in the successes as the manipulation of ants in region’ and ‘Review of whitefly research in fruit and nut crops, the use of barn owls and Concurrent society and professional meet- the past decade’) and 28 posters. During the other vertebrates for rat control, and the ings are becoming more popular because APS meeting, four special conferences biological control of golden apple snail they unite a larger group of people with were given, along with one symposium with fish and botanicals. overlapping interests. Such was done in (‘Diseases caused by phytoplasmas and Montelimar, Nicaragua on 26-30 October spiroplasmas’), 21 short presentations and Nest boxes full of live barn owls were one 1998, to bring together the VII International six posters. All field trips, except a visit to of the Symposium’s more enduring and Integrated Pest Management Congress, the the biological control facilities at the Uni- unusual images of biological control, and VII Caribbean Latinamerican Whitefly and versidad Nacional Agraria in Managua, underlined the unique blend of thinking at Geminivirus Workshop and the XXXVIII were cancelled due to adverse weather con- this meeting between successful use of Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Division ditions caused by Hurricane Mitch. local, ‘traditional’ natural enemies like of the American Phytopathology Society owls, ants, fish and ducks and the latest A copy of the event proceedings may be (APS). The joint event was made possible advances in microbial and biotechnological obtained from Ing. Gregorio Varela, through the combined efforts of various methods for biological control. Biological Escuela de Sanidad Vegetal, Universidad people and institutions. The interinstitutional control of plant diseases, both of field and Nacional Agraria, Managua, Nicaragua organization was fundamental to the devel- plantation crops, emerged in particular as a E-mail: [email protected] opment of the three meetings. The very active and promising area of research relationships between different groups and The VIII International IPM Congress will in Malaysia and the region. A number of disciplines permitted a greater coverage of be held in Panamá in 2000. The XXXIX keynote papers explored some provocative technical areas. Contacts with international APS-CD meeting will be held in Puerto subjects like biotechnology in biological and Nicaraguan specialists for organizing Rico in June 1999 and the XL meeting will control, the failure of the agrochemical the different scientific activities were acom- be in Guatemala in 2000. industry to deliver new biological control plished through a collaborative network products, and the role of farmers in biolog- By: Ronald D. Cave and Gregorio Varela among international and Nicaraguan ical control research. institutions.  Four magistrate conferences were pre- The proceedings of the meetings have been sented: (1) ‘Gender and agriculture: Barn Owls Set the Tone published* and can be obtained from: ideological obstacles to a gender focus’ by The Regional Representative, Lic. Irma Ortega and Lic. Victor Flores; (2) The Symposium on Biological Control in South-East Asia Regional Centre, ‘The current context of IPM’ by Dr Keith the Tropics was held at Serdang, Malaysia CAB International, P. O. Box 210, L. Andrews; (3) ‘The evolution of viral dis- on 18-19 March 1999, organized by the 43409 UPM, Serdang, Malaysia. eases in traditional and export crops in Malaysian Agricultural Research and Price: RM 75.00 (Malaysian Ringgit) Latin America’ by Dr Francisco Morales; Development Institute (MARDI) and including postage and handling charges. and (4) ‘Participative implementation and CABI International’s South-East Asia Enquiries: IPM: lessons and future directions’ by Dr Regional Centre (CABI-SEARC), and her- Email: [email protected] Ann Braun. For the IPM Congress there alded the establishment of Malaysia’s new Fax: +(603)-9436400/9426490 were five special conferences, one forum National Council for Biological Control, an (‘Politics, strategy and incentives for inter- innovative partnership of universities, gov- *Loke, W.H.; Sastroutomo, S.S.; Caunter, national organisms to implement IPM’), ernment research institutes and industry to I.G.; Jambari, A.; Lum, K.Y.; Vijayseg- one symposium (‘World initiatives in promote and lead biological control initia- aran, S.; Yong, H.S. (eds) (1999) IPM’) and two panel discussions (‘Biolog- tives in the country. Participants came from Proceedings of the Symposium on Biolog- ical control in vegetables, and ‘Gender in many South-East Asian countries, as well ical Control in the Tropics, Serdang, agriculture’), plus 144 short presentations as Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Malaysia, 18-19 March 1999. SEARC- and 45 posters. For the Whitefly Work- Canada. The emphasis was on new devel- CAB International. shop, three special conferences were opments in biological control, and this presented, plus three panel discussions permitted some very exciting sessions on  New Books

New Edition of ‘Julien’ weed control, the Catalogue has become the resource base for weed biocontrol scientists, essential reference for anyone working in to help in making sound choices among pro- The new, fourth edition of this Catalogue* weed biocontrol. has now been published, co-edited by Mic spective agents and, importantly, to Julien and M. W. Griffiths. By providing a When the first edition was published in stimulate much-needed basic research to periodically updated and comprehensive ref- 1982, it was not envisaged to be merely a provide biological control of weeds with a erence source to the use of biotic agents in compilation of records. It was seen as a sound theoretical and practical basis. In the News 61N years since, the concern of ecologists for has been compiled, which contains 154 ref- cane pests in India (1919-1998). Bangalore, native flora has increased and has become an erences for materials published from 1938- India; Project Directorate of Biological issue with conservation groups in a number 98, with annotations on the use and poten- Control, Technical Bulletin No. 23, 191 pp. of countries. This has had the desirable effect tial of biological control of tobacco pests. One copy of either bibliography can be of drawing the attention of biological control This bibliography should be useful to all obtained (until stocks are exhausted) from: practitioners to their responsibilities to the those interested in the pest and natural Project Director, community as a whole. Biological control enemy fauna of tobacco in India as it covers Project Directorate of Biological Control, needs to justify support not only by its track all aspects of biological control of tobacco Post Box No. 2491, H. A. Farm Post, record but also by its ability to predict prob- pests, including bio-ecology and popula- Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560 024, India. able benefits as well as any level of risk. We tion dynamics of pests and natural enemies, still need to know more about the impact of improved methods of mass-breeding of By:DrS.P.Singh different agents on weed populations and host insects and natural enemies, genetic  non-target populations under different con- improvement and pilot plant production of ditions. This catalogue remains the best natural enemies, biochemical potentiation resource base and starting point for much of of microbes, Biointensive Integrated Pest Does It Eat Vegetables? the research required, and for scientists who Management (BIPM) practices using This illustrated guide* is the result of both need to explain more and more what they are botanical pesticides, mechanical control field observations and the collection and doing and, indeed, to justify this approach, and trap crops as well as natural enemies, rearing of thousands of immature and adult when necessary, by reference to its success field release rates of natural enemies and arthropod specimens from farmers’ vege- and its inherent safety. insect biotechnology. Subject and author table and soyabean fields in South-East indices are provided. Researchers in the field continue to be Asia. It covers more than 250 species of extremely generous with their time in pro- Biological Control of Sugarcane Pests in , and many of these are new viding the information that is presented in India2 records or were previously identified only to the Catalogue (although some have been the genus level. Diseases caused by fungi, omitted from the credits!), and this prob- An annotated bibliography of biological protozoa, viruses and nematodes are also ably attests more than anything else to its control of sugarcane pests in India has described. Each entry contains good colour usefulness. been compiled. Sugarcane is one of the photographs of one or more life stages. For most important crops in India, covering an pests, notes on the life cycle are given, *Julien, M.H.; Griffiths, M.W. (eds) (1998) area of about 2.92 million hectares with 25 damage symptoms and pest status are Biological control of weeds: a world cata- millionfarmersbeingengagedinsugar- described, and brief notes on important nat- logue of agents and their target weeds, 4th cane cultivation. In addition, the ural enemies are included. For natural edition. Wallingford, UK; CAB Pub- sugarcane industry contributes about Rs enemies, known crop and host associations lishing, 240 pp. ISBN 0 85199 234 X. Pbk. 700 crores annually to the central are listed and, where available, information Price: UK£27.50/US$50.00 exchequer by way of excise duty. Each on life cycle, ecology and behaviour is given.  year, more than 10% of the yield is lost due to insect pests and diseases. Nearly The authors note that the guide is not meant 225 species of pests are known to infest to replace field observation, but as a starting Biocontrol Bibliographies the sugarcane crop. As biological control point to inspire readers to go out into the has emerged as one of the sustainable field to acquaint themselves with the Biological Control of Tobacco Pests in methods of pest management, the need dynamics that make up the vegetable/soya- 1 India was felt to compile the sum total informa- bean ecosystems. It is emphasized that most of the species inhabiting the fields are not Tobacco is one of the most important com- tion available on the biological control pests. Even those that feed on crops will mercial crops to be cultivated in India over aspects of sugarcane pests in India. The rarely reach a damaging level, and plant the past century. The economic viability of bibliography consists of 614 abstracts and feeders are useful in low numbers as they tobacco in the Indian scenario is well docu- is based on research papers/reports/book provide food for beneficial species, which in mented and it earns Rs 825 crores [1 crore chapters on research work carried out turn keep potential pests in check. = 10 million, or 100 lakhs] foreign during the period 1919-1998 in India on exchange annually and more than Rs 500 biological control of sugarcane pests. The *Shepard, B.M.; Carner, G.R.; Barrion, crores excise revenue. The employment abstracts cover aspects of biology, A.T.; Ooi, P.A.C.; van den Berg, H. (1999) potential in the rural and tribal sector is ecology, production, utilization, etc. of Insects and their natural enemies associated enormous, with nearly 32 million people natural enemies of sugarcane pests. A sub- with vegetables and soybean in Southeast working on this crop. It is grown in almost ject index and an author index are also Asia. 108 pp. ISBN 0 9669073 0 2. Pbk. all states of India. There are some ten major provided. This publication would be Price for developed countries US$28.50 + pests that inflict economic losses in useful for both research workers and stu- $8.50 airmail postage. Contact Merle Shepard tobacco. Biocontrol agents have been in use dents who need information on various for developing country prices. Cheques pay- against tobacco pests in India since the aspects of biological control of pests of able to The Clemson University Foundation. beginning of this century and results of sugarcane. Contact: Merle Shepard, Clemson research have been published in various 1 Singh, S.P.; Venkatesan, T. (1998) Anno- University, Coastal Research and Indian and foreign journals, in workshop/ tated bibliography of biological control of Education Center, symposium proceedings, books and bulle- tobacco pests in India (1938-1998). Banga- 2865 Savannah Highway, tins. It was, therefore, felt imperative to lore, India; Project Directorate of Biological Charleston, SC 29414, USA consolidate the entire body of work done in Control, Technical Bulletin No. 23, 56 pp. Email: [email protected] this field in India in order to make better use Fax: +1 843 571 4654 of it. Hence, an annotated bibliography on 2Singh, S.P.; Ballal, C.R. (1998) Annotated biological control of tobacco pests in India bibliography of biological control of sugar-  62N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 2