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Aims and Objectives |
| What is biological control of weeds? |
Biological weed control is the deliberate use of endemic or
introduced organisms (primarily phytophagous arthropods, nematodes and plant
pathogens) for the regulation of target weed populations.
It aims to reduce weed density to economic and ecologically acceptable
levels.
This goal is achieved by:
- Genecological studies of target weed populations;
- The investigation of potential control organisms associated with
target weed species;
- Genecological and life history studies of potential control organisms,
including virulence tests of pathogens (injury type and level produced per
unit of pathogen) and efficacy of arthropods, together with detailed
screening of their host range;
- Development of application strategies such as augmentation of endemic
organisms, the release of introduced control agents and the use of plant
pathogens as biocides.
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| Areas not covered |
| The terms 'natural' or biological control are often taken
to mean all non-chemical means of pest control. In weed control they have
been used for displacement planting, grazing management, crop rotation,
breeding for genetic resistance, allelopathy, natural plant products as
herbicides etc. Although these areas of research are not the subject of the
group's activities, co-operation with workers in these fields will be
necessary to integrate our activities into other pest control measures: we
have made some progress in this direction, for example the joint session on
biocontrol, physical control and allelopathy in the
2002 EWRS symposium . |
Objectives of the working group
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 | To facilitate research in weed biological control by promoting the
exchange of information between researchers in Europe;
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| To inform group members about newly emerging possibilities for weed
biological control, industrial expertise, possibilities for co-operation
and potential sources for financial support;
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| To develop close contacts with biological weed control groups outside
Europe, e.g. the International Bioherbicide Group (http://ibg.ba.cnr.it);
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| To propose and initiate joint projects and research programmes on the
European scale to promote the integration of weed biocontrol into existing
pest control measures and to develop new control strategies;
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| To develop and further close links with production managers in
agriculture and forestry, plant protection personnel, range management
specialists, conservation biologists etc. To promote the integration of
weed biological control into existing pest control measures, and to
develop jointly new control strategies;
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| Assist and co-operate in developing national legislation and
regulations for biological weed control. |
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| Activities |
| The working group was formed in 1984 and its main activity
since then has been to hold biennial
workshops lasting about two days on the biological control of weeds.
These have been informal and convivial occasions which have given workers in
this field, who are scattered throughout Europe a chance to meet and
exchange ideas and information. The working group has also hosted sessions
in the last two EWRS Symposia |
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Insects and diseases on creeping
thistle (Cirsium arvense)
Click on the picture
to enlarge
Apion onopordi
on creeping thistle
Cassida rubiginosa on creeping thistle
Puccinia punctiformis
on creeping thistle
Puccinia punctiformis
on creeping thistle
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