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ARS Home » Office of International Research Engagement and Cooperation » OBCL Research Highlights » June 2024 » FuEDEI organized the International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds (ISBCW)

FuEDEI Organized the International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds (ISBCW)

By Willie Cabrera Walsh

Foundation for the Study of Invasive Species (FuEDEI) and the Center for Renewable Natural Resources of the Semi-Arid Zone - CERZOS (CONICET/UNS) organized the XVI ISBCW in Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina (May 7-12, 2023). The objective of the symposium was to bring together researchers and professionals in biological control of weeds from all over the world to share experiences, publicize the latest developments on the subject and discuss the future of the discipline. The symposium consisted of 11 sessions, 75 oral presentations, 100 posters and seven workshops. It was attended by 156 people in 64 institutions from 19 countries.

The symposium highlighted the scope and potential application of biological control of weeds among researchers, decision makers and other social actors in our country. Likewise, the symposium was an opportunity to strengthen existing links and promote new collaborations between local researchers and the international community of biological weed control.

Link to the proceedings:
https://www.iobc-global.org/global_sg_Classical_Weed_BC.html

Group Photo, XVI ISBCW Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina (May 7-12, 2023) Group Photo, XVI ISBCW Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina (May 7-12, 2023)

For inquiries regarding this article contact: info@fuedei.org.

The Foundation for the Study of Invasive Species (FuEDEI), formerly known as the South American Biological Control Laboratory (SABCL), is located in Hurlingham, Argentina, near Buenos Aires. The SABCL/FuEDEI plays a crucial role collecting and providing candidate biological control agents for South American weeds and pest insects for federal and state cooperators, several U.S. universities, and research collaborators worldwide since 1962. FuEDEI’ s main mission includes exploring for natural enemies of target insects and weeds in Argentina and neighboring countries and conducting host-specificity testing to determine their safety for eventual release in the U.S. In addition, complementary research that investigates the ecology, behavior, taxonomy, and genetic differences based on geographic distribution is conducted on both targets and potential agents. Performing these studies in the region of origin of the target pest serves as an efficient prescreening process that reduces the number of biocontrol agent candidates shipped. This reduces the amount of quarantine work and valuable quarantine space occupation, the expenses related to permitting processes, the risks of escapes, and the release of maladapted or wrongly identified agents to a minimum, saving in costs and hazards. On some occasions these complementary studies help us understand why an exotic organism becomes invasive, which can, in turn, lead to determining novel strategies for their management.