Biocontrol News and Information 32(1), 1N–8N www.cabi.org/BNI General News High Hopes for Water Hyacinth Hoppers in effective in reducing plant growth. All aspects of the South Africa water hyacinth project and the candidate agent were weighed up by the biocontrol community in South The Agricultural Research Council – Plant Protec- Africa, and it was decided in August 2010 to proceed tion Research Institute (ARC-PPRI) in South Africa with a release. is soon to release a new insect biocontrol agent against the invasive aquatic weed, water hyacinth The first releases of the grasshopper are due to take (Eichhornia crassipes). place early in 2011. Post-release research will ini- tially be conducted by ARC-PPRI researchers (Angela Cornops aquaticum is a semi-aquatic grasshopper Bownes, Anthony King and Ayanda Nongogo), in col- that has been under consideration for release in South laboration with the funding and implementation Africa since 1995; a year prior to the last release of a agency, Working for Water (of the Department of new biocontrol agent for water hyacinth, the mirid Water Affairs, South Africa). Although, in recent Eccritotarsus catarinensis. The laboratory colony of C. years, control of water hyacinth has been more suc- aquaticum at PPRI, Pretoria was initiated from grass- cessful with the development of integrated control hoppers collected in Brazil, Trinidad, Venezuela and programmes using biological and chemical methods, Mexico between 1995 and 1997 and host-range testing water hyacinth is still South Africa’s nemesis aquatic was completed in 2001. Although C. aquaticum has weed. It is hoped that the introduction of the grass- long been recognized as a very damaging natural hopper will improve the success of classical biological enemy of water hyacinth, it has not been considered as control and that the apparent synergism between the a biocontrol agent elsewhere in the world and would Neochetina weevils and C. aquaticum will manifest in be only the second grasshopper to be used in a biolog- the field, reducing the overall negative impacts of the ical control programme against an invasive weed (the weed in South Africa. first being Paulinia acuminata on Salvinia molesta, another major aquatic weed in South Africa and other By: Angela Bownes ([email protected]) and parts of the world). Anthony King ([email protected]). Water hyacinth in South Africa is already attacked by a suite of five introduced arthropod biocontrol Current Status of Releases of Puccinia spegazzinii agents but certain environmental conditions have for Mikania micrantha Control caused variable and mostly unsatisfactory levels of control through the classical approach. The two Mikania micrantha (mile-a-minute weed) is a major major factors affecting field damage levels of the invasive alien weed in many countries of Asia and agents are enhanced plant growth rates through the Pacific, and is still invading new regions, such as nutrient enrichment of water bodies and climate northern Australia. This neotropical vine is able to incompatibility. Reports on damage to water hya- smother plants in agricultural ecosystems and agro- cinth by grasshopper populations in the native forestry, seriously affecting livelihoods, by range, its distribution to frost-infected areas in decreasing productivity and increasing the time Argentina and its specificity to water hyacinth made farmers and plantation workers need to spend C. aquaticum a priority agent for South Africa. How- weeding. However, it is also a serious weed of native ever, its release following completion of the host- habitats, affecting biodiversity – sometimes in a range studies was delayed while its worth as a new headline-grabbing fashion, e.g. by affecting the hab- agent was assessed, particularly in terms of its itat of the rare one-horned rhino in India and Nepal impact on the plant under eutrophic nutrient condi- (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8576646.stm). tions and its interaction with the Neochetina weevils, the most damaging of all the agents already present The UK Department for International Development on water hyacinth in South Africa. The weevils are (through Natural Resources International) funded a also valuable biocontrol agents for water hyacinth in research project to look at the impacts of this weed in other parts of Africa and any disruption to their India (Kerala and Assam) and to develop a biological impacts through interspecific competition by C. control approach for its management. A rust fungus aquaticum would have diminished prospects for Puccinia spegazzinii was selected, screened for spe- introducing the grasshopper. cificity to the target weed at CABI Europe – UK (E- UK) and then released in India in 2005–7 by Assam Quarantine laboratory studies showed that C. aquat- Agricultural University and Kerala Forest Research icum herbivory had a significant impact on water Institute. Unfortunately, the rust apparently failed hyacinth growth and productivity. The performance to establish persistent populations in the field, and of the grasshopper in terms of fecundity and survival the project is no longer active in India1. was also positively associated with high levels of nitrates and phosphates in the water. Interaction Nevertheless, the potential of the rust was recog- studies showed that a combination of the grass- nized by scientists at the Chinese Academy of hopper and the Neochetina weevils is particularly Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and Taiwan National Are we on your mailing list? Biocontrol News 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 Biocontrol News and Information 32(1) University. A project to release the rust in mainland 1Sankaran, K.V., Puzari, K.C., Ellison, C.A., et al. China was funded by the UK Department for Envi- (2008) Field release of the rust fungus Puccinia spe- ronment, Food and Rural Affairs (through the gazzinii to control Mikania micrantha in India: Darwin Initiative) and, since the weed is a problem protocols and awareness raising. In: Julien, M.H., et in Guangdong Province, brought in the expertise of al. (eds) Proceedings of the XII International Sympo- Guangdong Entomological Institute. Following sium on Biological Control of Weeds. CABI, extensive additional host-specificity testing by Wallingford, UK, pp. 384–389. CAAS, targeting plants of relevance to China, the rust was released in 2006. Although there was initial 2Pene S., Orapa, W. & Day, M. (2007) First fungal spread at the release site, the current status of the pathogen to be utilized for weed biocontrol in Fiji and rust in the field is unknown. In Taiwan, a similar Papua New Guinea. Biocontrol News and Informa- programme was undertaken, funded by the Taiwan tion 28(3), 55N–56N. Forest Bureau (TFB). Again, extensive host-specifi- 3 city testing was undertaken and the rust was Day, M.D., Kawi, A., Tunabuna, A., et al. (2010) Bio- released in 2008. In 2010, S.S. Tzean (TFB) was able logical control of Mikania micrantha Kunth to report successful establishment, spread of the rust (Asteraceae) in Papua New Guinea and Fiji using the and between-season survival. rust fungus Puccinia spegazzinii de Toni (Puccini- ales: Pucciniaceae). In: 8th IOBC International Most recently, the rust has been released in Papua Workshop on Biological Control and Management of New Guinea (PNG) and Fiji in 2009, under an Aus- Chromolaena odorata and Other Eupatorieae, Nai- tralian Centre for International Agricultural robi, Kenya, 1–5 November 2010, pp. 6–7. (Abstract) Research-funded project (through Queensland’s By: Carol Ellison, CABI E-UK ([email protected]) Department of Employment, Economic Development & Innovation – DEEDI)2. In PNG, the releases have and Michael Day, Biosecurity Queensland DEEDI involved a number of partner organizations, led by ([email protected]). the National Agricultural Research Institute, Ker- evat, East New Britain. The rust has been mass reared on living plants and widely released in over Role Reversal for EBCL as Europe Warms to 500 sites in 15 provinces. This has involved placing Classical Weed Biocontrol potted, rust-infected plants in amongst infestations of young mikania weed in the field. To date, over 3700 Europe has long been a source of natural enemies pots have been distributed. So far, the rust has estab- against invasive weeds of European origin in North lished in nearly 100 sites in seven provinces, but America, and over the past 90 years the USDA-ARS many of the remote sites have not yet been moni- (US Department of Agriculture – Agricultural tored. Initial monitoring found the rust to have Research Service) European Biological Control Lab- moved 400 metres in six months at some sites, and oratory (EBCL) at Montpellier in the south of France after 12 months, the rust has spread over 7 km. How- has become one of the key facilities for screening potential biocontrol agents from Europe, as well as ever, at one site (visited in October 2010), the rust Asia and Africa, for the USA. The launch of a new was found to have spread 37 km after 18 months. In classical biological control project against silverleaf Fiji, the rust has been released at over 80 sites on four nightshade, Solanum elaeagnifolium, is a departure of the main islands of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, from tradition, however, because S. elaeagnifolium is Taveuni and Ovalau, and has established at 20 sites a New World species that has become an invasive on Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Comparative growth weed in many parts of the world – including southern studies and field monitoring in PNG show that the Europe. In its introduced range, S. elaeagnifolium can rust can significantly reduce the growth and density outcompete native plants, reduce crop yields and of mikania and offers great potential for the control of 3 diminish pasture productivity, while its berries are this weed .