Location: Invasive Species and Pollinator Health
Project Number: 2030-22000-033-029-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Jul 17, 2024
End Date: Sep 30, 2026
Objective:
The goal of the proposed work is to develop and prepare effective biological control agents for release in the western U.S. to reduce populations of these destructive, invasive weeds to manageable levels. Prospective agents are discovered in the native ranges of the target weeds, evaluated for their strict specificity to targeted weeds, and for their demonstrated deleterious impact on the host plants, then released in invasive populations of the target weeds in the field. Post-release monitoring ensures adequate establishment of the agents and impact to the noxious weed populations.
Approach:
1. Collect cheatgrass mites (Aculodes marcelli) in their native range (Serbia) for pre-release evaluations in laboratories of in-country cooperators.
2. Collect medusahead mites (Aculodes altamurgiensis) in their native range (Serbia, Italy) for pre-release evaluations in laboratories of in-country cooperators.
3. Collect the yellow starthistle rosette weevil, Ceratapion basicorne, in its native range (Greece) and ship to the USDA-ARS quarantine facility in Albany, CA, to prepare them for mass-rearing and releases;
4.Collect yellow starthistle seed weevils (Larinus filiformis) in their native range (Bulgaria) and ship to the USDA-ARS quarantine facility in Albany, CA, to prepare them for pre-release evaluation, mass-rearing, and petition for releases;
5. Collect tumbleweed mites (Aceria salsolae) in their native range (Greece) and ship to the USDA-ARS quarantine facility in Albany, CA, to prepare them for mass-rearing and releases;
6. Collect tumbleweed tunneling moths (Gymnancyla canella) in their native range (France) and ship to the USDA-ARS quarantine facility in Albany, CA, to prepare them for pre-release evaluation, mass-rearing, and petition for releases.
7. Discover and collect new candidate agents on the targeted weeds and prepare them for pre-release evaluation, mass-rearing, and petition for releases.
