News 1N

Editorial

The principal role of this journal is to pro- IPM. The risk is that biotechnologies will plant resistance provided by transgenic vide information on scientific research in ultimately fail if insufficient attention is crops were wasted through a failure to biological control. Through its News, paid to ecological processes such as resist- integrate their use with biological control however, it has focused on some impor- ance development, non-target effects and and other components to make locally sus- tant issues in the periphery of biological the dynamics of pest complexes as we tainable IPM systems. In this issue, we control, but of considerable relevance to it. move from a pesticide-based to a biotech- announce the creation of a new interna- One of these has been biotechnology. Bio- nology-based control system for just one tional working group to examine the technologies for plant protection, epitomized pest species. integration of biotechnology with biolog- by Bt crops, will particularly influence ical control in IPM. We hope that biological control through their impact on Biological control shares with plant resist- biological control practitioners will the development of regulatory procedures, ance (and hence with these biotechnologies) respond through this and other activities to their effect on the production and use of the desirable feature that it can be self- the challenge to study, understand and biopesticides, and through the way they renewing and potentially free to the share the opportunities and threats which are incorporated into IPM systems. One farmer. In principle, and politics aside, this transgenic crops pose to improving sus- current concern is that these technologies allows these two key components of IPM tainable pest management. will, indeed, not be treated as components to benefit both the wealthy and the poor. It of IPM at all, but as hi-tech alternatives to would be a great pity if the new capacity in

General News

Aliens Make Waves impact studies made, and it is then tacitly predation and/or competition. The Wash- accepted that nothing can be done. But ington Department of Fish and Wildlife Biocontrollers may soon be heading for there are signs that the tide is on the turn. has enacted emergency regulations in a the beach. Invaders from across the sea are From the Pacific Coast of the USA, probably futile attempt to try and halt its giving marine biologists around the world through the Mediterranean, to Australia, onward spread to Puget Sound. abadfitofmal-de-mer as they see native marine biologists are seriously consid- A native of the Atlantic coasts of Europe fruits-de-mer put at risk by alien species. ering the introduction of exotic natural and northern Africa, in its home range the The marine environment offers fewer bar- enemies for a range of pests. green crab is found in protected rocky, riers than found on land to the regional Barnacle May Fit the Bill sandy and tidal habitats. It feeds vora- spread of invasive organisms. Ocean cur- ciously, often on bivalve molluscs and rents speed dispersal within a region, but The European green crab, Carcinus particularly mussels, and has a significant help from the planet's most invasive spe- maenas, was introduced to the eastern sea- impact on populations of these. Prelimi- cies – Homo sapiens – is necessary to board of the USA some 200 years ago and nary results suggest that it has a similar transfer species to new regions where they is frequently held responsible for deci- and perhaps more substantial impact in its may become noxious pests. There are sev- mating the soft-shell clam industry in the introduced range: dramatic declines in eral important vectors – the aquarium 1950s in Maine and the Canadian Mari- other crab and bivalve species have been industry, aquaculture, the bait industry, times. It was first recorded on the West measured in California and Tasmania. In and shipping. In any one week, 10,000 or Coast from San Francisco Bay in 1989/90, the summer of 1996, Carcinus' predatory more species may be transported around and since then has moved northwards at an activities led to the loss of almost one-half the world attached to the hulls or in the sea alarming rate of well over 100 miles (160 of the Manila clam stock under culture in chests and ballast water of ships. This km) a year, and this, says Kuris, represents benthic mesh bags in one shellfish opera- latter source has been identified as one of the fastest marine expansion of any marine tion in a central Californian bay. Native the major culprits of alien marine intro- animal, anywhere, ever. It escaped from shore crab population declines are greater ductions – an average-sized tanker carries San Francisco Bay in 1994, reaching than 90% in some areas. an estimated 244 million large planktonic Bodega and Tomales bays, about 50 miles individuals (7000 per cubic metre) during (80 km) north of there. Then it exploded The crab has many of the classical periods of high plankton productivity. into Humboldt Bay in 1995, Cocos Bay in attributes of a successful invasive species. Although notable successes have been 1996, and Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor Kuris identifies its outstanding dispersal recorded for biological control in fresh- in Washington State in 1998. It is consid- and recruitment abilities as key to its suc- water systems, it has never before been ered to be a serious threat to the fisheries cess as an invader. It also has high attempted in a marine environment. and mariculture industry of the Pacific reproductive and growth rates, and wide Armand Kuris from the University of Cal- Northwest (with an estimated value of environmental tolerances. It is omnivo- ifornia at Santa Barbara argues that there US$45 million/year) and wildlife. Native rous and opportunistic, capable of learning has been a fatalistic attitude to marine birds and Dungeness crabs have been sin- and improving its prey handling skills. Its pests: alien species are detected and gled out as particularly at risk, from body and claws are well armoured, ena-

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. 2N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 1 bling it to crush bivalves unavailable to aquarium: dense mats of giant stolons pro- so the seaslugs can produce their own food other crabs, and potentially increase its duce tangled masses of fronds up to 80 cm by photosynthesis. resistance to predation. In some areas it in height. Not only is it vigorous and inva- has relatively novel predatory abilities as it sive, but it colonizes the seabed from the The potential of seaslugs for controlling is larger and more agile than native crabs. shoreline down to 100 m depth, and can Caulerpa was originally suggested to These attributes make it, according to give 100% cover of the seabed down to 50 Alexandre Meinesz of the University of Kuris, a worst-type case of introduced m. It thrives in both clean and polluted Nice–Sophia Antipolis in France by Kerry Clark of the Florida Institute of Tech- pest. water, in exposed and sheltered sites, nology in Melbourne, who died in January grows on rocks, sand and silt, clogs the A study that compared populations of this year. There are three sacoglossan sea- native seagrass beds, and survives far green crabs from Europe with those from slugs native to the Mediterranean that feed colder temperatures than the conventional all areas of the world where the green crab on the local Caulerpa prolifera. However, form would survive. Another peculiarity: has been introduced, found that the intro- although they have begun to eat C. taxi- unlike the conventional form, no sexual duced populations seemed to be folia also,theymaynotbeeffectivein reproduction has been observed in the experiencing a release from their natural controlling it because of their reproductive Mediterranean weed. Instead it reproduces enemies. Green crabs in introduced popu- characteristics. Their eggs hatch into vegetatively, spreading by fragmentation. lations lacked any parasitism that had planktonic larvae that disperse widely These oddities of growth and form have direct effects on reproduction, and they from where they hatch. However, led some to speculate that it is a particular reached larger sizes and lost fewer limbs Meinesz’ interest was rekindled when he strain, while recent evidence from genetic than their European counterparts. received a shipment from the Caribbean of studies supports the view that it is an C. taxifolia that had been partially eaten in aquarium escapee, a clone of a single A team led by Kuris and Kevin Lafferty is transit by individuals of two seaslug spe- plant. assessing the prospects for introducing a cies, Oxynoe azuropunctata and Elysia rhizocephalan barnacle, Sacculina car- subornata. Two attributes of these tropical But whatever its true identity, the weed is cini, that parasitizes C. maenas in Europe, sacoglossan seaslugs are particularly sig- having a serious impact as it spreads its native range. This species blocks nificant: they reproduce fast (1000 eggs/ relentlessly through the Mediterranean, its moulting of its host, and acts as a parasitic week) and the planktonic larval stage is castrator, causing female sterility and fem- thick carpet smothering native algae. It absent. inizing the males. However, genetic work contains toxins (the terpene caulerpenyn) has shown that putative S. carcini from andisnotfedonbyfishorinvertebrates. Give the climatic differences, it is unlikely several portunid crab genera in Europe Firstspottedcoveringanareaofnomore that the Caribbean slugs would be able to cannot be distinguished genetically, than a square metre in front of the museum survive the Mediterranean winter, yet this (while they are genetically distinct from aquarium in Monaco in 1984, by 1990 it could be turned to initial advantage. Using other Sacculina species). Host specificity had reached France, two years later it had an inundative approach, they could be will obviously be an important issue when reached Majorca, and a year later Sicily. released as ‘reversible’ biocontrol agents, other portunid crabs are present in the pro- By 1994 it was found growing in the with augmentation each season. But if posed release area. Techniques are being Croatian Adriatic. In 1998 it was acknowl- they proved successful, there may just be a developed to assess experimentally the edged to be out of control. Mechanical and more permanent solution. There are colo- host specificity, and its safety for native chemical strategies have been considered nies of the seaslugs living as far north as crabs, and the host-parasite population but found to be too expensive or too toxic. Florida that are far more cold tolerant, and dynamics are being modelled to help eval- The weed’s growth characteristics also aquarium tests have been conducted since uate the conditions under which such a make mechanical attempts at control 1994 to assess their potential as biocontrol natural enemy might be effective. Fortu- almost doomed to failure: an attempt to agents for Caulerpa. nately, also, the rhizocephalan's life eradicate a colony a week after it was Anchovy Taste history is such that adding this parasite to found in the Balearic Islands in 1992 a new area could be reversible. Only the failed, and the plant was flourishing there Another significant alien sea invasion of female parasitizes and grows in the crab, in 1995. So now scientists are looking at recent decades was that of comb jellies, or forming the interna. Unless a second biological control. ctenophores, to the Black Sea. Native to release of parasite larvae is made after salty and brackish coastal areas of the females from the first release have rup- Interest is centering on particular seaslugs western Atlantic, Mnemiopsis leidyi was tured the abdominal wall of the crab and from the sacoglossan mollusc group, first identified from the Black Sea in 1982. formed the rounded sac, or externa, con- which feed only on the algal order Cauler- Populations grew dramatically from then, taining the reproductive organs and brood pales. The coevolution of these seaslugs at the same time as marked decreases sac of the parasite, there is no potential for and the siphonaceous (without cells) Caul- (90%) in zooplankton biomass were fertilization, and the parasite population erpales has focused on three anatomical recorded. The Black Sea’s largest sur- would wither away. and physiological adaptations. Firstly, the viving fishing industry, anchovies, slugs do not eat the Caulerpa,butfeed Slugging It Out crashed in 1989, when catches fell by suctorially on the cell sap, and their diges- more than two-thirds to less than 100,000 The algal species Caulerpa taxifolia, tion is adapted to this fluid diet. Secondly, tonnes. It is suggested that the unregulated found in tropical and subtropical seas, is they accumulate the toxins of the algae to and competing fisheries of Turkey and much prized by aquarium owners as a dec- make themselves less palatable to preda- Russia precipitated the decline, with the orative addition to their tanks. It is a neat tors. Thirdly, they retain the chloroplasts comb jellies compounding the problem. plant not exceeding 25 cm in height in its alive (as symbiotic chloroplasts). The sea- Voraciously predatory animals, Mnemi- native range. However, a novel form of slugs utilize these when they cannot find opsis devour anything smaller than the species spreading through the Mediter- rare Caulerpa in the tropical ocean – the themselves, but they are more likely to ranean would soon outgrow the largest chloroplasts are ‘actioned’ like batteries, have outcompeted the anchovies for food News 3N rather than caused their decline by direct started to trap marine pests at their farms Derwent estuary have grown to the point predation. Anchovy stocks have rebounded and in adjacent unmodified areas, in a new where it is the dominant invertebrate pred- since then – but arguably because the Rus- programme, funded by Australia's Coasts ator of some benthic communities. sian fleet has been too impoverished to and Clean Seas Program. This programme Population densities easily exceed those fish. will provide data to the scientists devel- recorded in its native range − one estimate oping control methods, and raise the puts the Derwent Estuary population at 30 Biocontrol prospects initially centered on awareness of marine pests within the million. Its impact is considered so signif- four candidates, all predators: another industry so that farm practices can be icant that ports in Tasmania, and now Port comb jelly, Beroe spp. that specializes in modified to reduce the spread of pests to Phillip Bay, are the only ports in the world eating other comb jellies, and three non- new areas. Measures to control established from which ships are prevented from native fish species that include gelatinous alien species – or at least to contain num- releasing ballast water in New Zealand's organisms in their diet. However, the ter- bers and infestations if eradication is not coastal waters under any conditions. restrial biocontrol experience with possible − are being developed. These Physical removal of seastars using divers generalist vertebrate predators indicates include genetic manipulation of reproduc- or traps has been trialled. Community that extreme caution would be needed tion, physical removal, targeted herbicides divers removed 30,000 seastars from before introducing any non-native fish and biocontrol. species that could eat native species as around the Hobart wharves on two occa- well as the introduced pest. Moreover, Seven marine species are now recognized sions in 1993, or perhaps 60% of the there were strong arguments against intro- as pests around the coast of Tasmania, and animals from an area that is a fraction of ducing predators to the Black Sea that biocontrol of two of these, the northern the occupied area. Traps provide a more might migrate into the Mediterranean and Pacific seastar (Asterias amurensis)and cost-effective alternative to control chronic compete with native species there. There the European green crab, is being investi- infestations, but at low densities attract is one fish species, Stromateus fiatola, gatedbytheCSIROCentreforResearch seastars in from outside the area. Dredges native to the Mediterranean but absent on Introduced Marine Pests (CRIMP), in and trawls have been used in Japan to con- from the Black Sea, that both eats gelati- collaboration with scientists in Japan, trol the seastar prior to seeding an area for nous zooplankton and is a valued foodfish. Russia, Europe and the USA. This repre- shellfish aquaculture, but associated envi- But the efficacy of a relatively slow sents the first coherent programme ronmental damage would be excessive in growing fish predator in controlling popu- anywhere in the world to tackle the an unfished area. Non-specific chemicals, lations of Mnemiopsis, which dramatically problem of invasive marine pests and seek principally quicklime, have been used to increase in size over a short time, has not control strategies. locally control seastars on shellfish beds, been examined. but collateral damage is high. The seastar, common in the seas around Non-specific physical and chemical con- So far there has been no systematic search Russia and Japan, and extending south to trolmayhavearoleinlocalcontrolof for natural enemies of Mnemiopsis over its Korea and east to Alaska, was probably seastars around aquaculture farms, but native range. Parasites, parasitoid-like introduced to Australia in the early 1980s, Bax points out that control of the seastar consumers and parasitic castrators are all and was recorded until last year only in the population will require a highly specific possibilities – and would be easy to survey Derwent estuary, site of Tasmania's major control agent that can be widely dispersed for, as the hosts are transparent. However, port. Nic Bax of CRIMP says that its throughout the population. Specific preda- surveys for pathogens in its native and spread from the Derwent is believed to tors have not been found, although one adventive ranges are now being under- have been restricted by the estuarine circu- larger native seastar does eat Asterias in taken. A collaborative project between the lation, but it has recently been found in laboratory situations. University of Delaware College of Marine Victoria's major port, Prince Phillip Bay. Studies and the Middle East Technical Genetic tests indicate that this introduction Potential parasites for biocontrol have University Institute of Marine Sciences in was most likely through the Tasmanian been sought in Japan and Russia, in col- Turkey is looking at bacteria from Mnemi- population, the probable vector − ship- laboration with the US team led by Kuris opsis in the Black Sea and the Atlantic to ping. The seastar feeds voraciously and and Lafferty. From hundreds of seastars try and identify any with potential as bio- omnivorously on shellfish, and virtually sampled during the first survey in Japan, a control agents. all sizeable bivalves and other attached or single specimen, from the far-eastern arm Catching Crabs and Seastars sedentary invertebrates are eliminated of Hokkaido was found to be infected with where seastar densities are high. This may a ciliate parasite. A second survey during In Australia, it has been suggested that not only affect the biodiversity, but also the peak reproductive season found the marine pests may do as much damage to have effects on the ecosystems of which ciliate to be abundant and widespread. So marine environments as oil spills. In 1997, bivalve filter-feeders are a key compo- far this species, the scuticociliate Orchito- 172 alien marine species were known to nent. One possible and highly undesirable phrya stellarum, is the only one to show occur in Australian coastal waters, with impact would be the possible extinction of promise. It partially castrates Asterias in probably another one arriving each month. the unique and beautiful little handfish, its native range, and is associated with Australia now has mandatory reporting of which, unusually for marine organisms, mortalities of another seastar. Genetic ballast water exchange for incoming ves- have localized geographical distributions. tests are unable to distinguish O. stellarum sels and is developing a decision support Females lay eggs, which the males guard, foundinseveralAsterias species and system to target those vessels most likely on attached invertebrates such as sea another asteroid, suggesting host specifi- to be carrying exotics that would be viable squirts where the seastar can eat them. The city may be low. However, as only a single in the port of call. Methods for treating seastar threatens the fisheries of southern asteroid species appears to be parasitized ballast water to slow the rate of new intro- Australia – even in its native range it has a by O. stellarum in any one geographic area, ductions are being tested and a national significant impact on fish and shellfish there may be morphological or ecological system for notifying each invasion is in productivity. It has wide temperature and attributes that increase host specificity. place. Tasmanian marine farmers have salinity tolerances, and populations in the CRIMP is now extending the search for suit- 4N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 1 able parasites to Korea, in the hope that Kuris says that the strategy being devel- Tasmania 7001, Australia additional parasites, perhaps dendro- oped for marine biocontrol is modelled on Email: [email protected] gastrids (highly modified intracoelomic the traditional agricultural biocontrol Fax: +61 3 6232 5485 seastar parasites), may be found at the strategy, i.e. natural enemies are sought in Armand Kuris, Dept of Ecology, limit of Asterias' range. A separate the native range of the pest, then assess- Evolution and Marine Biology, research approach is to find highly specific ments are made of the efficacy and safety University of California, Santa Barbara, reproductive inhibitors – asterosaponins of putative agents. But, he argues, CA 93106, USA are reported to be species-specific regula- although the strategy is similar, the prob- Email: [email protected] tors of gamete release – that can be lems differ. Whereas insect pest Fax: +1 805 893 4724 introduced into the environment perhaps biocontrol, to be economically viable for Alexandre Meinesz, Laboratoire via transgenic manipulation of a prey food production, must sometimes reduce Environnement Marin Littoral, resource, but this research is in its infancy. pest abundance by more than 99%, marine Faculté des Sciences, pests need only be reduced by half or two- Université de Nice–Sophia Antipolis, The European green crab was first thirds to have a tremendously beneficial 06108 Nice Cedex 2, France recorded in southern Australian waters outcome for biodiversity. Kuris suggests Email: [email protected] (Port Phillip Bay) in 1902 and is now an that the intellectual challenge for marine Fax: +33 4 92 07 68 49 accepted part of the fauna in Victoria. In pest biocontrol arises from the very dif- the mid-1970s the crab was first reported
ferent recruitment systems of marine and in South Australia, where its range may be terrestrial systems. On land, recruitment is continuing to expand. In 1993, it was first relatively closed: kill the scale in an Global Invasive Species reported in Tasmania, where it is now orchard today and you greatly reduce Programme extending its distribution along the north recruitment of scale to those trees and east coasts, displacing native crabs Introduced species cause disasters that one tomorrow. But kill the barnacles on a rock and potentially decimating native would never have foreseen. The costs of today and you have had no impact on bivalves. In 1997, CRIMP sponsored an Eurasian zebra mussels, introduced into recruitment tomorrow – because of rela- international conference on the demog- the Great Lakes system of North America tively long-distance larval dispersal and raphy, impacts and management of the where they cause obstruction in pipes and consequent open recruitment. So the European green crab, which served to locks, are estimated to be hundreds of mil- emphasis on marine biodiversity requires bring together researchers from the USA lions of dollars annually. Leafy spurge, a control measures to be targeted at the and Europe. Prospects for biocontrol using poisonous plant from Europe, invaded long-term control of the pest population, the rhizocephalan barnacle Sacculina car- western rangeland in the USA and caused rather than the seasonal control that is sat- cini are not as promising in Tasmania as losses of more than US$100 million per isfactory for many terrestrial agricultural the USA, as native portunid crab species annum. The Nile perch, introduced into biocontrol situations. Thus, classical bio- that are the basis of developing fisheries Lake Victoria to improve fishery, caused control may be a fundamental long-term could also be vulnerable to the parasite, the extinction of more than 100 fish spe- strategy for marine systems. but testing of host specificity is ongoing. cies of the cichlid family; most of them However, populations of the green crab in Although biocontrol may seem an attrac- endemic to the lake – before the predator Victoria appear to be controlled by natural tive answer, there is understandable came it was called an evolutionary labora- factors − predators, competitors or repro- reluctance from marine resource man- tory. Feral mammals introduced to islands ductive failure − and research is in agers to contemplate release of biocontrol have brought many bird species to the progress to establish the nature and man- agents in the open marine environment. brink of extinction or beyond by feeding agement potential of these controls. Yet, as the impacts of marine pests on their eggs and chicks. These are just a increase, affecting increasingly charis- few examples where action was taken too Water Safety matic or edible megafauna, it is clear that late. Work on the projects described above is action will be necessary. Bax suggests, Past responses to invasive problems gen- still at an early stage, and whether any or however, that initial results indicate that it erally have been crisis-orientated and all of this leads to attempts at biological may not be sufficient, except in isolated undertaken by scientists and government control remains to be seen. But one aspect instances, to rely solely on the introduc- officials. The new Global Invasive Spe- that all participants are addressing seri- tion of natural predators and parasites to cies Programme (GISP) is adopting an ously is safety. By the time this article control populations of marine pests. He interdisciplinary, proactive approach to appears, this aspect will have been under cites delivery of species-specific regulatory prevention and management. Economists, discussion at the 1st Conference on chemicals through genetic manipulation of geographers, trade experts, and interna- Marine Pest Bioinvasions at the Massa- parasites, symbionts, predators or prey as tional environmental policy specialists – chusetts Institute of Technology, USA in providing one promising area of research. in addition to scientists, managers and January 1999. As in terrestrial biocontrol, Further reading: Lafferty, K.D.; Kuris, government officials with expertise – will host specificity is a key issue. Bax points A.M. (1996) Biological control of marine contribute to the development and promo- out that in the marine environment pest pests. Ecology 77, 1989-2000. tion of a practical, comprehensive strategy management and, therefore, the develop- Meinesz, A. [trs D. Simberloff] (in press) to turn the tide against harmful invasive ment of biocontrol programmes are driven Killer alga. Chicago, USA; species worldwide. as much by concerns for biodiversity as Chicago University Press. food production. With the advantage of GISP is co-ordinated by SCOPE, the Sci- 352 pp [estimate]. ISBN 0 22 651922 8. more than a hundred years of terrestrial entific Committee on Problems of the Estimated price: US$25.00. biocontrol to draw on, marine biocontrol- Environment, in conjunction with IUCN Due September 1999. lers hope to avoid some of the pitfalls that (International Union for Conservation of were encountered on land, including Contact: Nic Bax, CSIRO Marine Nature and Natural Resources), CAB damage to native populations. Research, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, International and UNEP (UN Environ- News 5N ment Programme). Initial financial ment, legal aspects, education, early in South Africa in November 1998. Devel- support comes from the Global Environ- warning systems, and management. oped over nine years by the LUBILOSA ment Facility (GEF), UNEP (UN (LUtte BIologique contre les LOcustes et The early warning part, co-ordinated by Environment Programme), UNESCO SAuteriaux) international research pro- Dr Mick Clout (IUCN, Invasive Species (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural gramme, the mycoinsecticide is specific to Specialist Group), and the management Organisation), the Norwegian Govern- locusts, leaving other non-target organ- part, under responsibility of Dr Jeff Waage ment, NASA (US National Aeronautical isms unharmed. (CABI Bioscience, Biological Pest Man- and Space Administration), ICSU (Inter- agement), will unite their efforts in a ® national Council of Scientific Unions), La Green Muscle is the first environmen- shared expert consultation, to be held at Fondation Total, and the John D. and tally friendly, non-chemical insecticide to the end of March 1999 in Kuala Lumpur, Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, be registered for locust control and the Malaysia. The objectives will be to design together with ‘in-kind’ contributions from registration in South Africa is a significant useful early warning systems and a sup- its participants. step in moving the locust pest control porting database, and to identify the key strategy away from the use of persistent, Introduction of organisms into new envi- elements of a useful manual (‘toolkit’) for non-specific and sometimes harmful ronments has always been part of human alien invasive species management and chemicals towards more sustainable con- history since humans began to travel and prevention. Participants in the consulta- trol strategies incorporating biological ® spread over the continents, but in the past tion will include experts in key disciplines control techniques. Green Muscle has century human movement accelerated and and knowledgeable government repre- already been recommended for use in thereby enhanced dramatically the sentatives from client countries with either environmentally sensitive areas by the number of species introduced to conti- experience or needs in alien invasive spe- Locust Pesticides Referee Group of the nents and islands. The problems of alien cies prevention and management Food and Agriculture Organization of the invasives are likely to become even more programmes. UN and the approval for sale by the South severe in future with increasing global African authorities is further confirmation GEF is providing support for GISP to ® trade and travel. Agricultural weeds, develop pilot early warning systems for that Green Muscle is a safe, effective and destructive insects and mammals, diseases prevention of invasive alien species intro- desirable method of locust control. and other organisms exhibit a wide set of ductions, and to develop toolkits for The product will be made by Biological negative impacts on economic produc- governments on prevention and manage- Control Products in Durban and is tivity, ecological stability, biodiversity ment. Both initiatives will address expected to be on the market in 1999. The and human health on a global scale. The particularly the needs of developing coun- LUBILOSA programme is also seeking dispersal of organisms by human means tries. These validation projects will have registration of Green Muscle® in West can be accidental or intentional. In gen- their major focus on Small Island Devel- African countries in collaboration with a eral, these introductions are characterized oping States (SIDS) in the Pacific and second commercial producer. by faster invasion than natural occurring Indian Ocean regions, since island ecosys- self-introductions. Examples of accidental tems are especially vulnerable to LUBILOSA is an international collabora- introductions are hitchhikers on substrates invasions. tive research and implementation of trade items, terrestrial organisms on programme which is led by CABI Bio- We need to act locally and think globally aeroplanes and ships, aquatic organisms in science in collaboration with IITA to stop the invasions into ecosystems, the the ballast water of ships [see ‘Aliens (International Institute of Tropical Agri- loss of biodiversity, and the macdonaldi- Make Waves’, this issue], and parasites culture, Benin), CILSS (Comité Inter- zation of the world by aggressive invasive and disease organisms brought in with Etats pour la Lutte contre la Secheresse organisms. authorized introductions. Deliberate intro- dans le Sahel, Mali) and GTZ (Deutsch ductions have been made for a variety of Contact: [Early warning systems] Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenar- purposes, such as changes in agricultural Sarah Lowe, School ofEnvironmental and beit, Germany), and funded by techniques, forestry, supply for hunting Marine Sciences, University of Auckland, development agencies in UK (DfID), and fishing, or ornamental reasons. Many Private Bag 92019, Auckland, Canada (CIDA), Netherlands (NEDA) of those species are beneficial, or may be New Zealand and Switzerland (SDC). neither useful nor harmful, but increasing Email: [email protected] numbers of them are recognized as Fax:+6493737042 Contact: David Dent, CABI Bioscience harmful invasive species. [Management] Rüdiger Wittenberg, UK Centre (Ascot), Silwood Park, Ascot, CABI Bioscience UK Centre (Ascot), Berks. SL5 7TA, UK Information about prevention and man- Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks. SL5 7TA, Fax: +44 1491 829123 agement of alien invasive species is UK Email: [email protected] limited and scattered. Furthermore, effec- Email: [email protected]
tive action against alien invasive pest Fax: +44 1491 829123 problems requires global co-operation, since the spread of invasives does not stop
Prickly Problems in at borders, and international legislation is Australia needed to tackle the problems caused. Green Muscle® GISP has, as its objective, to assemble and Registered in South Here we include reports on major biolog- share the best available information on Africa ical control initiatives against two alien invasive species and to stimulate leguminous weeds that are causing signif- needed action and research. It is composed Green Muscle®, the mycoinsecticide for icant problems in two entirely different of 11 parts: the human dimension, inva- locust control based on an oil formulation ecosystems in Australia. A third legumi- sion ecology, pathways, global change, of the fungus Metarhizium [see BNI 18(2), nous weed, Parkinsonia, will be dealt with risk assessment, economics, status assess- 23N], was successfully registered for sale in a future issue. 6N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 1

Preventing Wetland Wipe-out their impact on the growth and productivity locations where no native trees can survive. of mimosa. They are valued by many as a multi-pur- Mimosa pigra (giant sensitive plant, or pose resource, as shade, wind-breaks and Two fungal pathogens from Mexico were ‘mimosa’) is a prickly leguminous shrub fodder, and for human consumption, char- collected and screened at IIBC (now CABI that is currently overwhelming wetland coal, timber and land reclamation. The Bioscience) by staff from CABI, the Insti- habitats in the monsoonal area of the ability of some species to rapidly form tuto de Ecologia in Xalapa and the CSIRO Northern Territory. At particular risk is the impenetrable and intractable thickets has, station in Veracruz, and these have also World Heritage conservation area of however, resulted in some mesquite species been introduced into Australia. The coelo- Kakadu National Park, although mimosa transforming vast tracts of open rangelands mycete Phloeospora mimosae-pigrae is also impacts on the pastoral, tourism and into thorny shrub forests. Negative impacts active during the wet season and causes recreational fishing industries. Introduced include the replacement of native flora and stem cankers and die-back of the weed in its during the nineteenth century from the fauna, the reduction of stock-carrying native range. It was first released in Aus- Neotropics, where it is a relatively incon- capacity through pasture replacement tralia in the wet season of 1994 and has spicuous plant of river banks and marshes, (stocking rates in New Mexico were subsequently established. Since then DPIF reduced by 75% over a 45 year period), mimosastartedtospreadrapidlyinthe and CSIRO have developed mass rearing impeding the management of livestock, and 1970s following several years of above- methods and procedures for large-scale harbouring feral animals1. As a conse- average rainfall, aided by the heavy impact releases by helicopter. In 1998 five isolates quence mesquites have become major of feral Asiatic water buffalo. It now infests of P. mimosae-pigrae from different loca- pastoral and environmental weeds in many some 80,000 ha of floodplains in several tions in Central and South America were regions of the world, including within their Northern Territory river systems, forming brought into Australia, and DPIF is cur- native range. In the USA, mesquite causes impenetrable thickets growing up to 6 m rently investigating genetic variations an estimated loss of US$600-1500 million high and suppressing native vegetation between these and the original isolate from (1984 figures) to the livestock and support beneath the canopy. The plant produces thou- Mexico. Pathogenicity tests will identify industries1. sands of seeds per square metre every year. the most suitable isolate for the Northern Their water-borne dispersal is enhanced by Territory. The leaf rust Diabole cubensis In Australia Prosopis is a declared noxious bristles on the seedpods, which keep them requires the lower temperatures of the dry weed, and is regarded as a serious eco- afloat and allow them to be dispersed over season (~21oC) to establish, and was first nomic and environmental threat. The vast distances. Seeds are also dispersed by released in 1996. During the wet season, taxonomy of Australian Prosopis is still birds, livestock, and native and feral mam- the rust is cultured under shadehouse condi- unresolved, but there are at least five taxa mals. Mimosa has been described as the tions and the spores stored in liquid currently recognized to have become natu- largest single environmental threat to nitrogen for release the following wet ralized. These species are native to the Northern Territory’s wetlands, and has the season. The rust has established locally, Americas but differ in their ecology, partic- potential to spread further, into Western and DPIF has commenced a monitoring ularly with respect to their potential Australia and as far south as New South programme. distribution, aggressiveness as weeds and Wales. Over the last two decades, a collab- fire tolerance. Infestations are presently In its new home on the Northern Territory orative programme between CSIRO localized and still in the early phases of floodplains, mimosa is an extremely vig- Entomology and the Northern Territory invasion. They occur in all mainland states, orous and successful invader. Although Department of Primary Industry and Fish- with the largest patches of dense infesta- current thinking is that biological control is eries (DPIF) has been developed to tions occurring in Western Australia the best long-term option for management implement biological control of mimosa. (>20,000 ha) and Queensland (several of this weed, other techniques are available CSIRO Entomology has undertaken patches >3000 ha). There do not appear to for its control, including herbicide applica- exploratory work in Mexico, Central be any climatic or geographic limitations to tion, bulldozing and burning. It is likely that America and South America, to identify the spread of mesquite over much of semi- use of these other techniques will be natural enemies with potential as biological arid Australia. control agents. Promising insect species required in many areas to reduce the size and vigour of stands to enable biological have been tested in the CSIRO Entomology Eradication programmes have been con- control to become effective more rapidly. quarantine facilities in Brisbane, and those ducted in various regions of Australia since Research is underway to develop a sustain- species considered safe to release have the late 1960s and rely primarily on chem- able management strategy for mimosa, been mass-reared and distributed by DPIF ical and mechanical methods. The based on integration of available control hardiness of mesquite, together with its staff in the Northern Territory. options. Biological control is likely to be extensive rooting system, high seed pro- the long-term cornerstone of successful duction, efficient seed-dispersal and a long- So far nine insect species and two fungal management. lived seed bank, mean such programmes pathogens have been released, and to date are costly and necessarily long term. In the most successful of these have been the By: Penny Edwards, CSIRO Entomology, addition infestations typically occur in flower-feeding weevil Coelocephalapion Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre, remote, commercially low-value regions. pigrae, and the stem-boring moths Car- PMB 44, Winnellie, NT 0821, Australia To date no significant populations have menta mimosa and Neurostrota gunniella. Email: [email protected] been successfully eradicated, although a Recent emphasis has been on the testing Fax:+61889448444 major eradication programme is currently and introduction of seed-feeding weevils, ...and Beating Mesquite underway in Queensland. with Chalcodermus serripes being first released in 1996 and Sibina fastigiata in Mesquites (Prosopis species) are woody, CSIRO Entomology began research into 1997. DPIF and CSIRO staff in Darwin are leguminous shrubs or trees that are the biocontrol of mesquite in 1994. This currently involved in monitoring the distri- extremely well adapted to growing in semi- work involved reviewing the mesquite bution and abundance of all agents, as well arid and arid regions, often thriving in problem in Australia (the extent of the as undertaking experiments to determine extremely arid, saline and inhospitable problem, the history and success of control News 7N programmes, and a review of taxonomic Canada, August 1984. Ottawa; Agriculture Extensive surveys in Trinidad and Tobago and ecological aspects) and prioritizing and Canada, pp. 301-340. revealed the presence of A. pulvinatus and processing potential biocontrol agents. Pre- several Aleurodicus spp. They were By: Rieks Dekker van Klinken, vious biocontrol programmes directed attacked by a host of natural enemies CSIRO Entomology, Long Pocket Labs, against mesquite had already resulted in the including parasitoids and predators, partic- PMB 3, Indooroopilly 4068, Australia release of seed-feeding bruchids in South ularly coccinellids belonging to the genus Email: [email protected] Africa, and later in Australia, but recent Nephaspis. Of five parasitic species Fax:+61732142885 studies have shown that the impact of these recorded, two aphelinid species, Encar- agents is likely to be limited by vertebrate siella sp. D and Encarsiella noyesi, were herbivory. Prosopis seeds are primarily dis- Coconut Whitefly in Nevis chosen for introduction into Nevis. Tech- persed through the gut of vertebrate niques for culturing Aleurodicus spp. and Several species of whiteflies belonging to herbivores, which consume most pods the two parasitoids were developed. the genus Aleurodicus have recently before bruchids have the opportunity to become pests of economic importance, Although the two species often occurred damage the seeds. mainly by accidental introduction into new together under natural conditions, Encar- The CSIRO programme selected insect regions. Among them are Aleurodicus dis- siella sp. D was the predominant species species for host-specificity studies which persus in several West African countries, and was hence prioritized for introduction. targeted vegetative foliage and reproduc- Aleurodicus dugesii in the United States, Dossiers were prepared in line with the tives prior to their consumption by Aleurodicus cocois in Peru and Aleurodicus Code of Conduct for the Import and vertebrate herbivores, and which appeared pulvinatus in Nevis. Since chemical control Release of Exotic Biological Control to be impacting on mesquites in their native of these species is difficult and uneconom- Agents and submitted to the Department of range. Three potential agents were studied: ical, biological control using host-specific Agriculture in Nevis. Because of possible a coreid bug (Mozena obtusa) which feeds natural enemies offers the most sustainable competition between Encarsiella sp. D and on immature reproductives and vegetative long-term solution. E. noyesi, the introduction of the latter spe- cies was deferred until a proper assessment foliage, a sap-sucking psyllid (Prosopidop- Most members of the sub-family Aleuro- of the establishment and impact of Encar- sylla flava) which causes die-back, and a dicinae, to which Aleurodicus belongs, are siella sp. D could be done. leaf-tying gelechiid moth (Evippe sp. #1) restricted to the Neotropics (Central and which is a defoliator. Only the latter two South America, subtropical North America Following approval of the introduction, the species were specific to mesquite and per- and the Caribbean). They are generally first shipment of Encarsiella sp. D was mission was obtained to release them in larger in size than the better-known white- hand-carried by Moses Kairo who also Australia. Both are from Argentina where flies, such as Bemisia tabaci and trained the officers of the Department of the Australian mesquite taxa do not occur, Trialeurodes vaporariorium, with a wing Agriculture in field release and assessment but perform equally well on these, at least span of more than 3.5-4 mm. Many species techniques. A total of over 2500 parasitoids in the laboratory. An Australia-wide release of Aleurodicus typically lay their eggs in were shipped during April and May. In programme is now underway with multiple spirals. However, the common name ‘spi- mid-September, the species was recovered releases of each being made at 24 sites in ralling whitefly’ applies only to A. at several release sites and was found to four states. The leaf-tier has been released dispersus. In their native habitats, a wide havedisperseduptoaboutakilometrefrom since March 1998 and field populations range of natural enemies usually keeps the nearest release site. Thus, there is good have already been recorded at some sites. Aleurodicus spp. in check, e.g. in Trinidad evidence that Encarsiella sp. D will The psyllid has been released since several predators and parasitic wasps pro- become established and the prospects for a November 1998. vide effective control. successful control of A. pulvinatus in Nevis are promising. Both new agents attack vegetative foliage Aleurodicus pulvinatus has recently and have the potential to make a significant become a serious pest of coconuts in Nevis. By:V.F.Lopez&M.T.K.Kairo, impact on mesquite populations. Specifi- It was initially believed to be A. cocois. CABI Bioscience Caribbean and Latin cally, they have the potential to retard the However, following surveys by CABI con- American Centre, Gordon Street, expansion and thickening of mesquite pop- sultants (M. Cock & G. Watson) in 1995, Trinidad, West Indies ulations by increasing mortality rates of the species was tentatively identified as Email: [email protected] seedlings and juveniles, slowing develop- ?Aleurodicus iridescens. A further taxo- Fax: +1 868 6632859 ment from germination to maturity, and nomic comparison with material
decreasing pod production of mature originating from the region clarified the plants. Where eradication is the goal it is identity of the species from Nevis, and A. hoped that these new agents will comple- iridescens was synonymized with A. Tsetse’s Lethal Path pulvinatus. Although several natural ene- ment existing control options such as Tsetse flies (Glossina species) infest some mies were found attacking A. pulvinatus in mechanical and chemical treatments, by ten million square kilometres of sub- Nevis, none was effective in controlling it. hitting regrowth and surviving plants, pos- Saharan Africa. They are important as vec- A project was therefore undertaken at sibly decreasing the number of treatments tors of human sleeping sickness and CABI Bioscience Caribbean and Latin required until the seed bank is exhausted. ‘nagana’ disease in livestock and deter- American Centre in August 1996 to iden- mine, to a large extent, where rural African 1 DeLoach,C.J.(1985).Conflictsof tify and select appropriate parasitoid communities can profitably live and work. interest over beneficial and undesirable species attacking A. pulvinatus in its native aspects of mesquite (Prosopis spp.) in the range for introduction into Nevis. The The major efforts to control tsetse over the United States as related to biological con- project was funded by the Food and Agri- past decades range from destruction of veg- trol. In: Delfosse, E.S. (ed) Proceedings of culture Organization of the UN (FAO) etation and/or eradicating their wild hosts the VI International Symposium on the under a Technical Cooperation Project to widespread application of chemical Biological Control of Weeds, Vancouver, (TCP/STK/4551). insecticides. More recently, less environ- 8N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 1 mentally harmful methods have been interest and support for the Cd system d’Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des developed such as the attraction of flies to along with a new approach that relies on the Pays Tropicaux 45, 115-118. traps (‘trap and kill’) or targets that have use of cheap, insectary-reared male and 3 Maniania, N.K. (1998) A device for been treated with insecticides or a sticky female flies as vehicles to transmit ento- infecting adult tsetse flies Glossina spp., substance, or the use of low-volume pour- mopathogenic fungi directly from ‘donor’ with entomopathogenic fungus in the field. on insecticides for treatment of cattle to ‘recipient’ individuals (D. J. Nadel, Biological Control 11, 248-254. thought to be at risk. The sterile insect tech- unpublished). With the new concept, both nique (SIT) has recently been successfully sexes can be effectively released to serve as 4 Maniania, N.K.; Nadel, D.J. (1998) Effect used to eradicate tsetse flies from the island carriers of the pathogen. The Cd itself is of Metarhizium anisopliae on mating of Zanzibar [see BNI 18(4), 107N-108N] made of the ubiquitous locally available behavior of tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans and is being tested for mainland eradication plastic mineral water bottles and has been morsitans. In: Abstracts, VIIth Interna- in Ethiopia. improved and optimized for use under all tional Colloquium on Invertebrate weather conditions (N. K. Maniania, Pathology and Microbial Control, August No single method of tsetse control has thus unpublished). Its performance has been 1998, Sapporo, Japan, p.49. far proven to be satisfactory. This is partly tested under field conditions and results due to biological factors (residual popula- By: Nguya K. Maniania indicate that although conidia of M. anisop- [Email: [email protected]] tions of flies remain and re-invade the liae mayloseafifthtoathirdoftheir 1 &DavidJ.Nadel cleared zones and not all species respond viability after 31 days, this does not affect [Email: [email protected]], equally to the same control method) and the overall fly mortality caused by fungus. partly to socioeconomic reasons such as long- The International Centre of Insect term financing and community involvement. The success of the project relies on the Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), For instance, SIT eradication programmes ability of contaminated male or female P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya have proven to be very expensive (US$18 ‘donors’ to transmit fungal conidia to Fax: +254 2 803360/860110 million for tsetse in Zanzibar; US$75 million healthy ‘recipients’. Laboratory studies
for screwworm in Libya2). Use of insecti- have shown that a single fungus-contami- cidal targets and pour-ons are cheaper in the nated male or female tsetse fly can transmit Brazilian Nematode short term, but are environmentally M. anisopliae conidia to at least four other Castrates House Flies hazardous. flies during mating or other brief interactions4. Field trials are under way to Until recently, the only known natural nem- This report briefly describes some options test the Cd system on Glossina fuscipes atode parasites of the house fly were for tsetse fly management being developed fuscipes, a vector of both human sleeping parasites of mammals that use the fly as an by the Nairobi-based International Centre sickness and nagana on several small- to intermediate host such as Habronema spp. of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), medium-sized islands in Lake Victoria off In the late 1970s Reginald Coler isolated an using a local strain of the entomopatho- ICIPE’s Mbita Point Field Station. Conidia unknown parasite infecting small numbers genic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae. of M. anisopliae are being mass-produced of house flies in Brazil. This nematode, These activities are part of an Austrian at ICIPE on a simple substrate of ground which is native to the state of Pernambuco, Development Cooperation- (ADC-) funded maize and vermiculite contained in plastic was subsequently reisolated and described project on ‘Sustainable Management of buckets wrapped in polyethylene bags. The as Paraiotonchium muscadomesticae1,2. Trypanosomosis and Tsetse Flies through a Cds are loaded with a few grams of dry Nematodes in the genus Paraiotonchium New Concept: the Lethal Insect Technique conidia and mounted on the appropriate (LIT)’ being implemented in Kenya. are parasites of muscid flies, and the group traps. The conidia are renewed monthly. includes several species that were in the The results so far are promising. A high Although entomopathogenic fungi have genus Heterotylenchus prior to Slobody- proportion of flies captured from the test been reported to infect tsetse flies in the lab- anyuk's revision3. The best-known member areas has shown fungal infection on the sur- oratory, the major obstacle to their use has of the genus is Paraiotonchium autumnalis, face of cadavers. been the difficulty of application in the a parasite of the face fly (Musca autum- field. ICIPE’s efforts to address this 4 A cost-effective, simplified, semi-auto- nalis) . Other muscids with parasites in this problem were first made under the project mated mass-rearing system has been genus include Morellia simplex (Parai- on ‘Interactive Development and Applica- developed for rearing tsetse for field tests. otonchium simplex), Musca vetustissima tion of Sustainable Tsetse Management (Paraiotonchium nicholasi), Musca osiris Technologies for Agropastoral Communi- Tsetse has long been a major constraint to (Paraiotonchium osiris), Musca xan- tiesinAfrica’,fundedbytheEuropean development for many sub-Saharan thomelas (Paraiotonchium xanthomelas), Union (EU) from 1993-1995. Several African countries. If the results promised and Musca crassirostris (Paraiotonchium potential biological control agents were by this research are fulfilled, the tsetse chal- crassirostris). Coler1,2 has recently evaluated. To make the existing models of lenge to humans and livestock in Africa reviewed the taxonomic status of this group tsetse trap even more effective, a contami- could be significantly reduced, at an afford- of parasites. nation device (Cd) was developed for use able cost. with the standard traps, such that captured The life cycle of P. muscadomesticae is an flies passing through the Cds mounted on 1 Allsopp, R. (1984) Control of tsetse flies interesting one that includes parasitic cas- the trap apex are contaminated with fungal (Diptera: Glossinidae) using insecticides: a tration and mock oviposition. Flies are conidia before they return to the environ- review and future prospects. Bulletin of infected in the larval stage when mated ment and transmit conidia to healthy flies Entomological Research 74, 1-23. female nematodes penetrate the host's larval cuticle. These females deposit eggs during mating or other interactions 2 including brief bodily contacts3. Cunningham, E.P.; Abusowa, M.; in the haemocoel of the adult fly, producing Lindquist, D.A.; Sidahmed, A.E.; Vargas- a generation of parthenogenetic females. An important first step of the current ADC- Teran, M. (1992) The screwworm eradica- The parthenogenetic females then produce funded LIT project was to reactivate tion programme in North Africa. Revue a generation of gamogenetic nematodes News 9N that invade the ovaries of female flies. The resulting either in the death of the larval Larger than native crickets, it lives under- flies perceive themselves to be gravid and host or parasitic castration of the adult fly. ground by day, coming out at night to feed attempt to oviposit, depositing young male It is compatible with other fly biocontrol on leaves of grasses and other crops. and female gamogenetic nematodes instead agents, and targets a life stage of the fly Females can lay up to 4500 eggs in a of eggs. Infected flies are thus essentially (mature larvae) that no other common nat- season. It is not a highly mobile pest, castrated and deposit few, if any, healthy ural enemies attack. Infected flies can be although the crickets are winged. Dispersal eggs. After being deposited by the fly, the produced easily in large quantities and occurs mostly by movement of infested soil nematodes mate and female parasites could be released on livestock and poultry and plants, or by the winged adults being search for new hosts to invade. Although farms, preferably as seven- to nine-day-old attracted to light, and alighting on transport male flies also are infected, the effect of the infected flies. If successfully introduced onwhichtheycanalsolayeggs. nematode on males and the role of infected from its native Brazil, this nematode could A species native to warmer climes, this males in the nematode’s life cycle are fill an empty niche in the biology of the cricket was for some years confined to the unknown. house fly and aid in its control. Newcastle area, where it took the odd Recent research indicates that this species 1 Coler, R. R. (1993) A new species of chunk out of golf courses and parks. How- may be an attractive classical biological exotic nematode parasite and a viral path- ever, recently it has begun to spread, and control agent for house flies5.Infected ogen as possible control agents of the house this is causing concern because, based on adult flies of both sexes live for about half fly, Musca domestica. PhD Dissertation, the climate of its home range, it could as long as healthy flies, and produce almost University of Florida, USA, 142 pp. potentially cover an area from Sydney in no progeny. When house fly immatures are NSW to Cairns in Queensland. Moreover, 2 Coler, R. R.; Nguyen, K. B. (1994) Parai- exposed to nematodes from infected flies, otonchium muscadomesticae n. sp., a it is currently invading areas theoretically too cold for it to survive, and fears are being an IC50 (the nematode concentration parasite of the house fly in Brazil and a key expressed about what would happen if it needed to infect half of the flies) of only 24 to species of the genus Paraiotonchium. reached its ideal climate range in northern gamogenetic nematodes/fly is observed, Journal of Nematology 26, 392-401. with an IC90 of 184. Mature gamogenetic NSW and Queeensland, and key centres of 3 female nematodes produce about eight par- Slobodyanyuk, O. V. (1975) Erection of the rice and sugarcane industries there. thenogenetic females each, regardless of Paraiotonchium n.g. (Nematoda: Sphaeru- So is this really one visitor that might give nematode crowding levels. In contrast, pro- lariidae) and redescription of the type Australian cricketing enthusiasts some- duction of new gamogenetic nematodes by species, P. autumnalis (Nickle, 1967) thing to worry about? Possibly not. Robin parthenogenetic females is density- n.comb. Trudy Gel'mintologicheskoi Labo- Bedding of CSIRO thinks he may have dependent, with average reproductive rates ratorii 25, 156-168. [In Russian] something that could knock it for six. He ranging from 1627 progeny/parthenoge- 4 Stoffolano, J. G., Jr. (1970) Parasitism of suggests that a nematode, Steinernema netic female at eight females/host to 330 Heterotylenchus autumnalis Nickle (Nem- scapterisci, which was used against related progeny at 83 females/host. This density- atoda: Sphaerulariidae) to the face fly, mole crickets in Florida, may be the dependent reproduction ensures that Musca autumnalis DeGeer (Diptera: Mus- answer. He plans to conduct laboratory infected flies consistently produce 12,000- cidae). Journal of Nematology. 2, 324-329. tests with the nematode and, if the results of 45,000 new gamogenetic nematodes, 5 these are promising, to seek permission to which are ready for deposition about ten Geden, C. J. (1997) Evaluation of Parai- field test it. It could be a pitch battle. days after fly emergence. Gamogenetic otonchium muscadomesticae, a potential nematodes require 24 hours after deposi- biological control agent of the house fly. Contact: Dr Robin Bedding, tion in manure before they are capable of Biological Control 10: 42-47. CSIRO Entomology, Box 1700, infecting new host larvae. Nematodes per- By: Christopher J. Geden, USDA, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia sist in manure for three to five days after Agricultural Research Service, Email: [email protected] deposition. Although the normal habitat of Center for Medical, Fax: +61 2 62464293 the nematode is not known, laboratory Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology,
studies indicate that it survives well in P. O. Box 14565, Gainesville, cattle and poultry manure. FL 32607, USA Lines from the South Email: [email protected] or Host range studies also have demonstrated Pacific that this nematode is fairly host specific. [email protected] Although some infections have been Fax: +1 352 374 5922 Taming the Giant observed in a second pest species (stable
Fiji has reported some success from a joint flies), P. muscadomesticae has little impact biocontrol programme for the giant sensi- on Hydrotaea aenescens, a predacious fly Cricket in Australia: the tive plant (GSP) Mimosa invisa involving that is being used in some fly control pro- Worms’ Turn? the Secretariat of the Pacific Community grammes. The main challenge in (SPC) – German Biological Control Project developing this species as a biocontrol A foreign sort of cricket threatens to under- and the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries agent may be its sensitivity to high temper- mine the future of the Australian national and Forests ( MAFF ). The weed was atures. The nematode performs well up to game – not to mention golf, football and reported for the first time in the South 30oC, but not at higher temperatures, and horse racing, Parks and gardens could Pacific region in Queensland early in 1929, this may limit its survival in areas with very suffer serious damage, and key crops such and it is now found in at least ten countries hot weather conditions. as sugarcane and rice are also at risk. in the Pacific region: French Polynesia, In summary, P. muscadomesticae appears TheChangamolecricket(Scapteriscus New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, to have considerable promise as a classical didactylus), of South American origin, was Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, biological control agent for house flies. first reported in Australia in 1984 from Guam, Hawaii and the Cook Islands, and it Larvae are highly susceptible to infection, Newcastle, New South Wales (NSW). was reported recently for the first time from 10N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 1 the island of Niue. The weed is under con- efficacy of these predators, and the pros- effective use of the fungal agent trol in the Cook Islands following the pects for releasing other predators from Fiji Metarhizium and a baculovirus, and release of the psyllid Heteropsylla spinu- are also being considered. progress has been made with a bacterial losa there in 1994. agent, Bacillus popilliae. Meanwhile, the Recently, resurgence of the coconut scale search for new pathogens of taro beetle In Fiji, a joint programme by MAFF and has been reported elsewhere, with serious continues, and leaflets describing tech- the SPC–German Biocontrol Project outbreaks (similar to those in Nanumaga) niques for handling and assessing microbial involved the augmentation of the psyllid occurring in Rotuma (Fiji) in the absence of control agents (fungi, bacteria and nema- populations (a redistribution exercise) at natural enemies. The SPC and the Research todes) have been produced. major infestation areas on western side of Division in Fiji are currently working the island of Viti Levu, prior to the new together to introduce biocontrol agents in Contact: Katarina Atalifo, growing season at the onset of the annual Rotuma. SPC–German Biological Control Project, rains. The psyllid populations were boosted PMB, Suva, Fiji by spot treatments with nitrogen (as urea), Finally, a new pest of coconut, a hispine Email: [email protected] beetle (possibly a Brontispa sp.), has been carried out with the assistance of MAFF Fax: +679 386326/370021 reported to be causing damage to coconuts extension staff at the various centres. Flow- [Coconut scale, Vanuatu/Tuvalu] in the Marianas Islands. The identity of this ering and seed production were reduced by Pranish Prasad the more abundant psyllid populations, and new pest is currently being considered, Email: [email protected] new growth was thus prevented. The together with prospects for its biocontrol. [Whitefly/DBM, Cook Islands] method of boosting psyllid populations was Cabbages and Wings Maja Poeschko adopted on the basis of the results of a study Email: [email protected] by Kuniata and Kowiri in Papua New In the Cook Islands, diamondback moth Fax: +682 23548 (DBM), Plutella xylostella, is one of the Guinea in 1994. The SPC–German Biolog-
ical Control Project and Fiji MAFF most serious larval pests of cabbages, while continue to monitor the situation of the the potentially disastrous silverleaf weed in Fiji. whitefly (Bemisia tabaci biotype b/Bemisia Pigs Root for Control argentifolii)isalsopresent.AnIPMpro- Ladybirds Hit the Scales gramme on cabbage is being promoted as A centuries-old tradition is being adapted in trials to assess the ability of pigs to control Coccinellid predators are being redistrib- part of the SPC–German Biocontrol Project an invasive weed, Gaultheria shallon,in uted from Fiji to Nanumaga Island collaborating activities with the Cook the New Forest in southern England. Cre- (Tuvalu) in an effort to stem an alarming Islands Ministry of Agriculture. The parasi- ated by William the Conqueror in the 11th outbreak of the coconut scale, Aspidiotus toid Diadromus collaris was released Century, the New Forest was one of a destructor. against DBM in Rarotonga in 1998. Mass rearing of the parasitoid is carried out at the number of extensive areas of England that The scale first appeared in the South Pacific Totokoitu Research Station by research he placed under his stringent Forest Law, region in Tahiti in about 1894, spreading to staff. Monitoring studies are being con- which protected the sovereign’s hunting Fiji in 1905. It was first reported from Van- ducted on the whitefly and potential rights, and prohibited land enclosure and uatu in 1962 and New Caledonia in 1983. It biocontrol agents are being assessed. cultivation. In so-doing, he serendipitously is now also found in the Cook Islands, Kiri- Locally abundant coccinellids, which have created the earliest conservation areas. The bati, Niue, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu. been found to have a significant predatory local inhabitants (or ‘commoners’) eventu- Surveys conducted in Fiji to identify nat- impact on the whitefly, have been sent for ally acquired restricted grazing privileges, ural enemies present there failed to find identification. and these continue to this day. The word Cryptognatha nodiceps, but a number of ‘Forest’ did not necessarily denote a other coccinellid predators were found. In Fiji, the Cabbage IPM Programme, wooded area. Even in William's day about However, some of these were proved not to spearheaded by the SPC–German Biocon- half of the Forest was heath. Today, it be host-specific to the coconut scale in lab- trol Project has, since 1995, tried to remains a nationally important environ- oratory trials. The two most effective were promote an IPM package recommending ment of woodland pasture, heaths and bogs. Telsimia nitida and Chilocorus nigritus: the use of two selective insecticides; the It contains remnants of old coppices and they completed their life cycles on the bacterial insecticide Delfin and the chitin- timber plantations, and its oak–beech scale, and both larvae and adults fed on it. inhibiting Atabron. The parasitoids D. col- woodlands include an exceptional number The biocontrol agents were identified and laris and Cotesia plutellae are also helping of ancient trees. mass-reared under specific guideline con- to control DBM in major cabbage-growing Gaultheria shallon, known locally as ditions in the laboratory in Suva before areas in Fiji. American Strawberry, was introduced to onward shipment and release in Nanumaga. Beetles Hit the New Forest from northwestern America The scale was first recorded in Nanumaga about a hundred years ago. In its native Progress has been also reported with the in 1994, where it caused severe damage to country it provides food for deer and its use of pathogens against two beetle pests. important food crops in the atoll; it attacked edible black berries are part of the native In Fiji, a combination of viral and fungal coconuts, bananas, pawpaws, breadfruit Americans’ diet. It is believed to have been products and refined management practices and other food crops in massive numbers introduced to this part of England as a has led to a reduction in rhinoceros beetle causing panic on the island. The SPC Plant garden shrub, although it may also have (Oryctes rhinoceros) numbers and associ- Protection Service through its Biological been planted as cover for pheasants. In ated damage to coconut palms. Control Laboratories released the two pred- open parts of the Forest, the plant’s growth atory coccinellids T. nitida and C. nigrita Taro beetle (Papuana sp.) biocontrol has been inhibited by grazing deer and from Fiji, and these have been instrumental research, centered in the Solomon Islands ponies, but in enclosed areas it can grow up in reducing the pest populations. Impact and Papua New Guinea, has been concen- to 1.5 m high. It generally occurs in isolated studies are being conducted to assess the trating on optimizing the conditions for the patches, which indicates it spreads readily News 11N by rhizome growth and only rarely colo- rings through their noses to prevent them The pigs did have a considerable impact on nizes new areas by seed. However in one from rooting. Rooting, or turning-over soil the bracken, readily eating both rhizomes area is has spread to cover approximately with their snouts, is part of pigs’ natural and foliage. Damage to Gaultheria was 50 acres [some 20 ha]. In the New Forest, it behaviour to find food. generally incidental to the pigs’ main goal is being tackled while it is still manageable. of eating the bracken roots. A Rhododen- The University of British Columbia has However its encroachment has already dron bush in the enclosure was ignored by confirmed that Gaultheria shallon is not become a major problem on Surrey and the pigs, although its roots were disturbed poisonous and is palatable to stock. Trials Hampshire heathland. by their rooting for bracken. Until next involved fencing two areas which both con- year, it will not be possible to determine the Gaultheria shallon spreads by means of an tained Gaultheria shallon, bracken overall success of the trials by assessing the intensive network of shallow underground (Pteridium aquilinum)andRhododendron extent of Gaultheria regrowth. roots or rhizomes. Techniques to control it ponticum. Initially, trials involved the usually involve spraying with Roundup or release of eleven young pigs in an area of These trials are part of work to remove Timbrel, herbicides that have been 18 m × 18 m for a period of six weeks. A invasive exotic species from the New approved for use in the Forest. However, second phase of trials is currently being Forest Special Area of Conservation where it has spread over a large area, alter- undertaken on a slightly larger adjacent (SAC). Funding to enable this work has native techniques are being considered to plot, with three adult female pigs (or sows). been provided by the Life project, in which minimize the concentrated use of herbicide The aim is to establish whether sows are half of the UK£5 million project costs are and to protect important wetland habitats more effective at removing the weed and provided by the European Union and the adjacent to the affected region. less selective in their diet. During the trials, remainder by the project partners. the pigs were provided with water and addi- Pigs are readily available in the Forest as By: Vicky Myers tional food to supplement their diet. many of the local commoners, or forest Contact: Vicky Myers/Jonathan Spencer, farmers, own these animals. Traditionally Results from the initial trial indicated that Forestry Commission, The Queen’s House, they are released in the area during the Gaultheria growth was effectively halted Lyndhurst, Hampshire, UK autumn to eat fallen acorns, which are poi- as the pigs had brought up the plants roots, Fax: +44 1703 283929 sonous to other animals. These pigs may although they had not significantly con- roam freely on the open Forest, but have sumed any of the plants roots or foliage.
Training News

In this section we welcome all your experi- research in natural pest management for the This is a 'development through trade' ences in working directly with the end- communal farming sector in Zimbabwe. In project which, according to Sam Page, users of arthropod and microbial biocon- the Zambesi valley they are assisting directly challenges the 'donor dependency' trol agents or in educational activities on farmers who want to grow cotton organi- that has been created amongst the rural natural enemies aimed at students, farmers, cally. This is a resettlement area where low population by donor-led development extension staff or policymakers. rainfall and extremely high temperatures which has been imposed in the area. are major constraints to production. With Training in natural pest management within Putting a ZIP into Training the current economic crisis in the country, organic agriculture reduces production smallholders are finding it increasingly dif- costs because it eliminates the use of pesti- The problems created by heavy reliance on ficult to afford agrochemical inputs and are cides. It also enables farmers to receive an chemicals for pest control in cotton led to looking for alternative farming practices organic premium when they sell their pro- the crop being an early target for IPM. that will reduce their input costs. ZIP duce to Cargill. Part of this premium will be However, uptake in many cases has been Research’s training is based on the FFS used to provide remuneration to FFWs who poor, and reliance on pesticides has con- approach, with modifications to meet local perform well. The training provided by ZIP tinued, associated with health problems for circumstances and needs. Most signifi- Research covers the requirements for the farmers and pest resurgence. There are a cantly, for their organic cotton project, they crops to be certified as organic, as the number of documented cases of the success are concentrating on training farmers to FFWs are also responsible for the internal of farmer participatory methods in per- teach other farmers. Trainees as Farmer control system. The organic cotton the suading farmers to use IPM approaches Field Workers (FFWs) for the project are farmers produce is now certified by the (e.g. in Pakistan: see BNI 19(2), 41N-42N), selected by their community with guidance Dutch company Ecocert and bought at and often these involve training ‘trainers’ from ZIP Research, and undergo a four- around a 20% premium by Cargill for sep- (extension officers and non-governmental week training course in natural pest man- arate ginning. The Harare office of organization field staff ) who then share agement (NPM) and organic farming at ZIP AgroEco is responsible for the marketing of their acquired agroecological knowledge Research’s Eco-lab at Mt Hampden near with farmers through Farmer Field Schools the organic lint. The organic lint from last Harare. The FFWs each undertake to pass (FFSs). Now, a local non-governmental season is currently being made into T- on skills and knowledge, learnt through a organization in Zimbabwe is developing a shirts, which will be sold in the UK through series of experiments and discussions, to training scheme, which concentrates on the ‘Friends of the Earth’ catalogue. ten fellow-farmers on their return. FFWs giving training directly to farmers, and on are selected by their communities because The training course focuses on practical encouraging them to facilitate learning of their leadership skills. Over forty FFWs skills and experimentation by the trainees in amongst other farmers. have graduated since 1997, and the project the laboratory and field, the toxicology of The Zimbabwe Institute of Permaculture’s therefore reaches some 400 farmers in the pesticides, understanding natural enemies, ZIP Research provides training and Zambezi Valley. plant diseases and how they spread, pest and 12N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 1 predator survey techniques, germination and natural enemies and intercropping. They are development through trade project. Once a plant growth processes, and soil organic also assisted by ZIP Research to conduct market is secured, they will run training matter determination; as well as concepts small-scale experiments with their farmer courses in organic vegetable production. and discussion on topics such as socioeco- colleagues. Among the topics for current These will cover NPM techniques for a nomic aspects of organic cotton production research farmer field workers have priori- range of pests that have been identified, and marketing including a visit to the local tized for testing are the effects of including rootknot nematodes and red ginnery. As an example of the field studies intercropping on pests and natural enemies, spider mite, and address the problem of an carried out, the organic farmers have together with the search for viruses to con- acute shortage of on-farm biomass to observed an effective black ant predator that trol bollworms. Currently, the organic improve soil fertility. It is intended that can be encouraged into cotton by intercrop- marketing regulations permit the use of these farmers will supply a local food proc- ping with cowpea. The ant benefits from the chemically treated seed for the first two or essor with organic fruit and vegetables that shade and feeds on the nectaries in the three years only and farmers must show that can be exported to Denmark at a premium. cowpea, and will pull out bollworms from they are exploring non-chemical alterna- Sources: Pesticides Trust (1998) Success the bolls of the cotton plant. Farmers use tives. One possible alternative is seed with cotton IPM. A briefing for the IPM in intercropping with sorghum and okra to trap treatment with ash. ZIP Research and the Developing Countries Project funded by bollworms, and plant live fences and inter- farmers are also studying cotton yield differ- the European Commission Environment in crop with yellow flowering plants, such as ences between organic and conventional Developing Countries budget (DGVIII). sunnhemp and mustard, to attract natural cotton. Alternaria infection in different London, UK; The Pesticides Trust. Pest enemies. The use of herbal remedies such as cotton cultivars will be investigated once Management Notes No. 10, p. 3. Tephrosia vogelii are recommended only as these can be obtained: access to cotton seed Sam Page & Shepherd Musiyandaka, pers. alastresort. in Zimbabwe is controlled by chemical com- comm., 1998. panies. Another aim is to assess local market During their training, FFWs develop their opportunities for organic groundnuts, which Contact: Dr Sam L. J. Page, Natural Pest own tailor-made curriculum to run back in would bring more women into the project. Management,ZIPResearch,P.O.BoxCY their community including socioeconomic 301, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe aspects such as local surveys of the eco- ZIP Research aims to expand its training Email: [email protected] nomics of pesticide use amongst farmers programme in 1999, using private sector Fax: +263 4 726911 who have not yet converted to organic agri- funding facilitated by DANIDA (Danish culture, and agroecological studies on Development Agency) to support another

Internet Round-up

By: Tony Little, Technical Support Group to Staying with the University of California, http://www.igc.org/panna/pestis.html the Global IPM Facility, CABI Bioscience. UC Davis post their forthcoming activities, carries the Pesticide Information Service including a course on conservation and (PESTIS). PESTIS is an on-line database This quarter, Round-up focuses on the con- augmentation in biological control, at that contains pesticide reform-related mate- servation of natural enemies. http://ucdnema.ucdavis.edu/imagemap/ rial, including articles, newsletters, reports I have always been slightly wary of con- nemmap/ENT135/12aCons.htm and action alerts. While I could find no arti- ducting ‘broad spectrum’ literature cles relating directly to conservation of searches on the net, ever since a search on http://www.rain.org/~sals/cotton.html, natural enemies using the site search IPM in spice crops threw up ‘Mama linked to the RAIN (Regional Alliance for engine, there were a number of articles, Paprika’s Red Hot Web Page’ (I forget the Information Networking) site, was the only such as ‘Benefiting from Bugs’ by Dan address now). Further investigation secured other page of real interest and carries an Imhoff, that contained a discussion on the me an almost instantaneous interview with informative article about biological control topic. the IT manager and a lecture on appropriate in cotton, within which there is a good dis- http://www.wisc.edu/entomology/mbcn/ use of company technology! cussion on conservation in cotton systems. fea201.html, which is home to the on-line So it was with some trepidation that I journal ‘Mid-west Biological Control News’ It seems, then, that the bulk of information proved to be the most useful site. Of partic- tapped ‘conservation’ into the search on conservation of natural enemies is to engine, asking it to search within the results ular interest was an article entitled found at sites with a somewhat broader sub- of two previous requests ‘biological con- ‘Conservation of Natural Enemies: Keeping ject matter, and here I turn to my ‘Blue Chip’ trol’ and ‘natural enemies’. This yielded a Your Livestock Happy’, but which, rest sites. few useful looking sites, but the majority assured, is entirely entomological, and is a were at some variance to the subject. nice introduction to conservation as a bio- http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/biocontrol/ control strategy, with a useful list of http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/ 2a.htm/#2, a site within the Biological Con- references and contacts. 8180.html, the University of California trol Virtual Information Center includes a So a piecemeal and somehow rather unsatis- Press site, was among the more relevant chart listing commercially available natural fying search this quarter, but what it does do pages. It carries useful reviews of recent enemies and pesticides that are compatible is highlight the lack of easy to locate, publications, one of which, ‘Enhancing Bio- with them. While this is aimed at augmenta- informative sites on this crucial, but evi- logical Control’ edited by Charles Pickett tive releases, it contains pesticide effect data dently neglected aspect of biological control and Robert Bugg, focuses on the role of con- for some important generalized predator systems. servation of natural enemies in biological groups such as lacewings and ladybirds control. which may be applicable to field use.
News 13N

Announcements

Are you producing a newsletter, holding a Contact: Dr Angelika Hilbeck (Chair), CABI Bioscience Course meeting, running an organization or Swiss Federal Research Station for rearing a natural enemy that you want Agroecology and Agriculture, A course on biological pest management is other biocontrol workers to know about? Reckenholzstr. 191, 8046 Zurich, torunfrom31Augustto24September Send us the details and we will announce it Switzerland 1999 at CABI Bioscience UK Centre. The in BNI. Email: [email protected] course is aimed at agricultural researchers Fax: +41 1 377 7201 and extension workers, including crop pro- tection staff who wish to broaden their Scientists Link up on
knowledge of pest management. Partici- Evaluation of Transgenic pants will learn the principles and basic Organisms for IPM A Symposium on the methodology of biological pest manage- Ecological Effects of ment, how to conserve predators and parasites, how to introduce natural enemies Readers of BNI will be well informed about Biological Control recent developments in biotechnology for from the native habitat of exotic pests, and crop production, and the concern that these how to culture arthropod and microbial In October 1999, an international IOBC technologies are not being developed or control agents for field release. Participants (International Organization for Biological mayalsoselectmodulesfromanEnto- deployed as components of sustainable Control) Symposium will be held on Eval- IPM with a mind to their interaction with mology Foundation Course (16 August – uation of Indirect Ecological Effects in 24 September). The course fee of UK£3600 other aspects of pest management. In Biological Control in Montpellier, France. October 1998, experts in field evaluation of includes tuition, all materials and self- The Symposium promises to bring leading catering accommodation. Bt crops and related biotechnologies from population and community ecologists China, Australia, Europe and North and together with biological control experts to Contact: Mrs Stephanie Groundwater, South America met to develop a new IOBC consider the basic ecological processes CABI Bioscience UK Centre (Egham), (International Organization for Biological which determine the impact of biological Bakeham Lane, Egham, Control) Global Working Group on control in ecosystems, and how this might Surrey TW20 9TY, UK “Transgenic Organisms in Integrated Pest lead to improved methods for prediction Email: [email protected] Management and Biological Control” and evaluation. Recent meetings about Fax: +44 1491 829100 which is intended to address these issues. safety in biological control have high- This new Working Group will provide a lighted non-target issues in a way that has
forum for disseminating information on tended to polarize discussion around the rights or wrongs of past biological control published and ongoing research, for discus- Michigan IPM Course sion and for development of collaborative programmes. By setting aside the issue of projects. Its terms of reference identify five how risks are weighed and judged, and focusing on the ecological measurement of An IPM course, running from 25 July to 6 specific areas of co-operation: (1) devel- August 1999 at Michigan State University, oping methods for measuring non-target target and non-target effects, this Sympo- sium intends to move this subject forward will use the ‘train the trainers’ approach to effects and other aspects of efficacy and in a positive manner towards improved team building, knowledge sharing and par- environmental impact, (2) developing methodologies for biological control. The ticipatory learning for scientists from methods and protocols for resistance man- first day of the three-day meeting will be developing countries. The short course will agement, (3) improving monitoring devoted to keynote presentations on provide ‘hands-on’ experience in inte- systems for early detection of resistance ecology and ecological approaches to bio- grated management of insects, diseases and and other environmental changes arising logical control, followed by a day of weeds in field, vegetable and fruit crop eco- from release of transgenic organisms and submitted papers and posters, and finally a systems. The course aims to provide a (4) engaging farmers and extensionists in workshop to identify next steps. The Sym- mixture of traditional and experimental the process of determining whether and posium is being organized at AGROPOLIS learning situations addressing the design, how to use transgenic organisms in local International in Montpellier by the IOBC implementation and evaluation of IPM pro- IPM systems. The Working Group will Permanent Secretariat and the Complexe grammes. The course costs US$3285, focus on the development of sound scien- Internationale de Lutte Biologique including registration, fees, food and tific approaches to the evaluation and Agropolis. lodging and health insurance. The deadline implementation of transgenic organisms in for applications is 30 June 1999. IPM, and will provide its findings through See: http://www.agropolis.fr/iobc Contact:DrK.M.Maredia, reports and on a website. It is designed spe- Institute of International Agriculture, cifically to engage scientists in public Contact: Mme. Mireille Montes da Oca, IOBC Permanent Secretariat, 416 Plant and Soil Sciences Bldg., sector institutions from both the developing Michigan State University, East Lansing, and developing world, because it is here AGROPOLIS, 34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France MI 48824, USA that capacity to evaluate transgenic organ- Email: [email protected] isms in pest management has lagged well Email: [email protected] Fax: +33 4 67 04 75 99 Fax: +1 517 432 1982 behind the deployment of these technolo- gies in the field.

14N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 1

Conference Reports

Water Hyacinth Working Invertebrate Pathology suitable market niche, which can be very Group variable. The VIIth International Colloquium on The first global working group meeting for Invertebrate Pathology and Microbial Con- Overall, the conference was very inter- the biological and integrated control of trol and the IVth International Conference esting and stimulating and proved of value water hyacinth under the auspices of the on Bacillus thuringiensis held in Sapporo, to students and scientists alike. International Organisation for Biological Japan on 23-28 August 1998 were attended Control (IOBC) was held at St Lucia Park, by some 400 delegates. The conference was By: Belinda Luke, CABI Bioscience UK Harare, Zimbabwe on 16-19 November divided into topic sections: Bacillus thur- Centre (Ascot) 1998. This meeting was attended by 47 del- ingiensis (Bt), viruses, nematodes, fungi,
egates from 20 countries, including microbial control, bacteria, microsporidia, Argentina, USA, United Kingdom, Aus- marine invertebrates, entomophorales, tralia, Papua New Guinea, China and India. insect immune system and insect cell The majority of the delegates were from OECD Safety Workshop culture. Africa, and South Africa, Angola, Zim- An OECD (Organisation for Economic babwe, Zambia, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, The conference started with the Founder’s Cooperation & Development) workshop on Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Nigeria, Memorial Lecture: ‘Karl Maramorosch: ‘Sustainable Pest management: Safe Utili- Burkina Faso and Egypt were represented. great leader of invertebrate tissue culture zation of New Organisms in Biological and pathology’. The honouree, Professor The workshop was divided into five ses- Control’ was held in Montreal, Canada on Maramorosch (State University of New sions during which 20-minute oral papers 27-30 September 1998. The workshop was Jersey, USA), who is now in his eighties, were presented. Topics covered included jointly organized by Dr H. Hokkanen attended the conference and is still very the implementation and post-release evalu- (OECD Directorate for Agriculture, active in the field of virology. The Memo- ation of natural enemies, research into new France) and Dr R. Trottier (IPM Associ- rial Lecture considered Professor natural enemies for water hyacinth and the ates, Canada) under the auspices of Maramorosch’s extraordinary life and his need for an integrated approach to the con- Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada. Thirty role as an exceptional scientist in the field trol of the weed. The water hyacinth international scientists, covering a range of of virology. problem on Lake Victoria was the focus of disciplines, were invited to a ‘weekend much discussion and it was encouraging to retreat’ outside Montreal to present their note that not only is the biological control A symposium was held on ‘Biology and Utilization of an Entomogenous Fungal thoughts on the issues and needs for of water hyacinth well underway in this research in OECD countries in order to region, but also that it is achieving good Genus Cordyceps’ which included a pres- ensure sustainability of agricultural sys- results. There were a number of reports entation by Professor Mitsuaki Shimazu tems through the safe use of organisms in from countries where biological and inte- from the Forestry and Forest Products biological control. The brief was to prepare grated control of water hyacinth is being Research Institute, Japan on the use of and present these thoughts in the form of a implemented and also from Burkina Faso Cordyceps militaris to control beech cater- short (ca. 1500 word) discussion paper, all and Angola where biological control pro- pillar, Quadricalcarifera punctatella. of which were compiled and numerically grammes have recently been initiated. Another interesting paper was presented by arranged in dossier form under the pro- During the workshop there was a field trip Professor Sung of the Republic of Korea in gramme headings: Policy and regulations to Lake Chivero just outside Harare where which he described Cordyceps found in for registration of microbial organisms (W. an integrated control programme with the Korea, and talked about mass production of Sexsmith, B. Jensen, G. B. Prideaux, G emphasis on biological control has been artificial fruiting bodies in potato dextrose successful. broth with silkworm pupae on unpolished Barden and P. Hutton); Research chal- rice. lenges and needs for safe use of microbial It was evident from the meeting that there is a organisms (S. Dupont, B. Blum, R. J. need for a globally coordinated effort on A microbial control symposium entitled Cibulski, J.-C. Côte & M. Goettel, J. Bois- water hyacinth, which would prevent the ‘Microbial Insecticides: Novelty or Neces- vert,T.A.Jackson,S.Keller,K.A.Jones, costly replication of research. To this end, a sity?’ was well attended. This session H. Evans and L. Solter); Research chal- water hyacinth clearinghouse was proposed concentrated on the successes and failures lenges and needs for safe use of arthropods to facilitate access to scientific, socio-eco- of microbial insecticides in different uses. (B. Philogene, K. Hopper and R.-U. nomic and technical information globally. Dr. H. Evans, from Forest Research, UK, Ehlers); and Research challenges and needs The proceedings of this meeting are to be pub- highlighted the need to understand the life for safe use of transgenic organisms (E. lished shortly. The second global working cycle of the organism before relevant con- Balazs,M.Tepfer,M.Masamichi,L.Sagi, group for the biological and integrated control trol could be successful. Dr. T Jackson, M. Giband, J. A. Baum, I. Gard, L. Hornok, of water hyacinth is to be held in China in 2000. from AgResearch, New Zealand, had M. Hoy and M. Klein). The papers were looked at controlling soil pests and related followed by a discussion session in order to By: Martin Hill, ARC, PPRI, problems which has led to recommenda- identify the issues, to draw up resolutions Private Bag X 134, Pretoria, tions that co-evolved organisms are and to make recommendations. These were South Africa, 0001 probably the most suitable for controlling collated by facilitators, who further modi- Email: [email protected] such pests. Dr. Jackson also emphasized the fied them, with additional inputs from Fax: +27 12 3293278 importance of looking at economic produc- selected scientists, and at a later date pre-
tion, delivery systems and securing a sented them in a draft document. News 15N

The following is a brief résumé of the parties concerned, both nationally and is a key criterion for application of issues identified with the appropriate internationally, to meet societal needs public-good funding for pest manage- recommendations. for sustainable pest management. This ment. should include the establishment of 1 Sustainable pest management: govern- databases on taxonomy, biosafety, ments should exercise leadership in By:H.C.Evans,CABIBioscienceUK safety management and monitoring. developing policies and programmes Centre (Ascot) that support biological control as a key 4 Education, communication and public Contact: Dr Heikki Hokkanen, component of sustainable pest man- confidence: governments should facil- OECD Directorate for Agriculture, agement. itate the participation of all stakehold- 2 Rue André-Pascal, ers in ensuring that biological control 2 Harmonization: with limited resources, 75775 Paris Cedex 16, France is properly understood, promoted and small profit margins and restricted Email: [email protected] implemented markets for biological control prod- Fax: +33 1 45 24 78 34 ucts, every effort should be made to 5 Funding for biological control: gov- Dr Robert Trottier, IPM Associates, facilitate their registration through glo- ernments should ensure that adequate 81 Tadoussac, Aylmer, Quebec, bal harmonization of appropriate regu- funding is available to establish and Canada J9J 2M9 latory requirements. maintain core competence, as well as Email: [email protected] 3 Cooperation and information exchange: the databases and links necessary for Fax: +1 819 772 1997 member countries should promote and research and implementation of bio- facilitate cooperation between all the logical control, and that sustainability
Proceedings

Biocontrol of Sirex These proceedings* contain papers presented For copies contact: Edson Tadeu Iede at an international workshop held at [Email: [email protected]] or Erich Sirex noctilio, an important pest of pines, EMBRAPA (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Schaitza [Email: [email protected]], was first reported from South America in Agropecuaria) in Colombo, Brazil on 4-9 EMBRAPA CNP Florestas, 1980, and is now a major threat to pine pro- November 1996. The workshop provided CP 13, 83411-000, Colombo, duction in the southern cone. At the first technical underpinning of the programme by PR, Brazil meeting of the Permanent Working Group creating a forum to discuss rearing and release Fax: +55 41 766 1276 on Silvo-Agricultural Health in 1992, the methods for the biological control agents. To RichardC.Reardon,ForestHealth southern cone countries identified Sirex facilitate dissemination of the information Technology Enterprise Team, noctilio as the pest that posed the greatest further, all the papers are presented in these 180 Canfield Street, Morgantown, threat to conifer plantations in South proceedings both in English and in Spanish or WV 26505, USA America. A regional conference on the Portuguese. wasp, also held in 1992, recommended the Email: Richard.Reardon/[email protected] creation of a management programme *Tadeu Iede, E.; Schaitza, E,; Penteado, S.; Fax: +1 304 285 1505 based on biological control. In the years Reardon, R.C.; Murphy, S.T. (eds) (1998) Sean Murphy, CABI Bioscience UK since, Brazil, in collaboration with organi- Proceedings of a conference: training in the Centre (Ascot), Silwood Park, Ascot, zations in Australia, the US Forest Service control of Sirex noctilio by the use of nat- Berks. SL5 7TA, UK and CABI Bioscience (formerly IIBC), has ural enemies. Morgantown, WV, USA; Email: [email protected] developed a programme, in the course of USDA/US Forest Service, Forest Health Fax: +44 1491 829123 which it has introduced of a nematode and Technology Enterprise Team, Publication parasitic wasps from Australasia. No. FHTET 98-13, 200 pp.
16N BiocontrolNews and Information 1999 Vol. 20 No. 1