Location: Office of International Research Engagement and Cooperation
Project Number: 0210-22310-010-002-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2024
End Date: Aug 31, 2025
Objective:
Discover and develop biological control agents for invasive terrestrial and aquatic weeds, with emphasis on those invasive to Florida.
Approach:
In consultation with the ARS PI, travel within East Asia to a range of habitats where there is the highest likelihood of success to identify, collect and evaluate potential biocontrol agents of target invasive weeds . Current targets in these regions will include the climbing fern (Lygodium microphyllum), cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica), hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata), round-leaf tooth cup (Rotala rotundifolia), red azolla (Azolla pinnata) and yellow floating heart (Nymphoides peltata). Promising candidate agents will be shipped to U.S. cooperators for further study and development at U.S. quarantine facilities. Both parties of this agreement are actively involved in independent research on identification, characterization and management of invasive species endemic to Australia and Asia. The parties agree that meeting the objectives of this project will serve to strengthen and enhance the research programs of both entities by furthering the understanding of the ecological and environmental consequences of invasions and assist in their management. It is the intention of the parties to this Agreement that the research work shall affirm their mutual interest in cooperative research programs and exchanges and shall be for their mutual benefit and the benefit of the people of the United States. This Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement supports research conducted under the following National Program(s): NP304/Crop Production and Quarantine.
Work Plan and Milestones: Development of biological control agents for weeds of Asian and Australian origin. Invasive plants of exotic origin cause substantial damage to natural and agroforestry ecosystems by reducing crop yields, degrading water quality, and threatening biodiversity by eliminating or altering habitats for threatened and endangered species. The cost of invasive plants to the United States exceeds $35 billion annually. The invasiveness of these non-native weeds is associated with a lack of coevolved natural enemies in the introduced habitat. Classical biological control reunites such coevolved natural enemies with the target weed in order to suppress it and allow the recovery of native species. The Invasive Plant Research Laboratory (IPRL) in conjunction with ARS overseas labs like ABCL has developed and introduced 26 biological control agents targeting 10 weeds. Targeted weeds like air potato, giant salvinia, and water hyacinth are under complete or substantial biological control while Imperata cylindrica, Lygodium microphyllum, Acacia auriculiformis, Rotala rotundifolia, Hydrilla verticillata, Nymphoides peltata and Azolla pinnata require new or additional agents. Effective agents must first be found by overseas survey and then developed through extensive research.
