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Buckingham, Gary R. 1998. Overseas Research and Quarantine Testing-Cornerstones of Aquatic Weed Biological Control. Florida Biocontrol Laboratory Abstracts from the Eighth International Zebra Mussel and Other Nuisance Species Conference, Sacramento California March 16-19, 1998 Overseas Research and Quarantine Testing-Cornerstones of Aquatic Weed Biological ControlMost aquatic weed biological control programs include importation and release of agents, to date just insects, from the native home of the weed. This classical biological control approach has been successful in some locations with alligatorweed, Alternanthera philoxeroides, giant salvinia, Salvinia molesta, waterhyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes, and waterlettuce, Pistia stratiotes. Other programs against Eurasian watermilfoil, hydrilla, melaleuca, purple loosestrife, waterchestnut, and waterfern are still in progress. Before any of the agents were introduced there were field surveys in or throughout the weed's native range and laboratory host range studies at foreign sites or in domestic high-security quarantine laboratories. The most active countries conducting these initial studies with their own aquatic weeds are Australia, South Africa, and the United States. However, many other countries use the agents that have been developed and have active quarantine programs to test their host range before release. It is obvious that classical control programs are dependent upon active and efficient overseas programs which can be conducted by foreign travel from the home country or by establishing overseas laboratories and cooperative programs. However, what should be obvious is not always readily apparent to those unfamiliar with this field of research. Support for overseas programs is often difficult to generate and difficult to maintain if agents are not forthcoming within a short time. It is imperative that everyone involved in establishing or maintaining a biological control program be educated about the possible long-term commitment needed to ensure its success. Aquatic weed programs demonstrate many of the difficulties as well as many of the strengths of establishing foreign programs as one cornerstone of a biological control of weeds program. If agents are discovered, they will eventually need to pass through a quarantine facility before release into the environment. Occasionally, the stop in quarantine is brief because the agents have been thoroughly tested elsewhere or have an excellent safety record in a similar environment. The identity is checked in quarantine and the agents are examined for their own natural enemies. Usually, however, some testing of native plants and economically important plants is required. When a program is new or when there is little field data on the native host range of an agent, the testing can be extensive and time consuming. Again support is imperative, both for the possible construction and maintenance of a quarantine facility and for the manpower and costs needed to run the quarantine program. Several quarantine facilities in the United States have been used for aquatic weed programs. The lack of economically important aquatic plants often results in a greater percentage of native plant species tested in an aquatic program than in a terrestrial program. Therefore, much of the testing needs to be done in a quarantine facility where the native plants are available. Like the foreign program, the quarantine program is a cornerstone for a biological control of weeds program. Contact: Dr. Gary R. Buckingham, Florida Biocontrol Laboratory, USDA/ARS,
Biocontrol of Weeds, P.O. Box 147100, Gainesvile, FL 32614-7100 |