Project Number: 211-22000-005-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: May 29, 2003
End Date: Aug 31, 2005

Objective:
Discover, evaluate, collect and export to the U.S. biological control agents of weeds and insect pests that have been identified as high priority targets by the ARS National Program Staff. Selection criteria include economic and environmental impact, probability for successful biological control, clientel needs, and concerns expressed by the U.S. Congress, among other parameters. Priority weeds include waterhyacinth and tropical soda apple (TSA). Priority insects include: Imported Fire Ant (IFA); Glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS); Tarnished Plant Bug (TPB) or Lygus; Cotton bollworm, Corn Earworm Complex, Fall Armyworm; Corn Rootworm Complex (CRW); and Sunflower Moth and Sunflower Beetle.

Approach:
1) Discover, identify, prioritize, and characterize natural enemies of target weeds (phytophagous insects or plant pathogens) and insect pests (insect parasitoids, predators or pathogens). South America regions of origin will be identified and explored for natural enemies. Potential areas for exploration will be further refined by climatically matching South American areas with those of U.S. invaded areas. 2) Evaluate the safety and usefulness of candidate organisms. Parameters studied will include: type and degree of impact on the target in the field; life cycle and seasonal history evaluation; host range determination (host specificity) in which the impact of a candidate agent on target and non-targets in both laboratory and field studies will be scrutinized; effect of various environmental factors that limit or increase the effectiveness of the candidate; and factors influencing effective laboratory rearing. For potential agents deemed worthy of stateside shipment, sufficient data will be generated to acquire U.S. quarantine introduction permits, and (for weeds and in conjunction with stateside collaborators) the preparation of APHIS Technical Advisory Group petitions. 3) Collect, rear and ship candidate control agents to appropriate cooperators in U.S. facilities. Parasitoid and disease-free living cultures of candidate control agents will be collected and shipped to U.S. cooperators for further testing in quarantine and for eventual field release. Project number formerly 4005-22000-005 in mode code 4005-00.

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003

Related Projects

INVESTIGATE POTENTIAL BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS FOR ALLIGATORWEED    BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF CABOMBA: NATIVE RANGE SURVEYS IN SOUTH AMERCIA