Title: Prospects for biological control of Ambrosia artemisiifolia in Europe: learning from the past.
Abstract: The recent invasion by Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) has, like no other plant, raised the awareness of invasive plants in Europe. The main concerns regarding this plant are that it produces a large amount of highly allergenic pollen that causes high rates of sensitisation among humans, but also A. artemisiifolia is increasingly becoming a major weed in agriculture. Recently, chemical and mechanical control methods have been developed and partially implemented in Europe, but sustainable control strategies to mitigate its spread into areas not yet invaded and to reduce its abundance in badly infested areas are lacking. One management tool, not yet implemented in Europe but successfully applied in Australia, is biological control. A prioritisation of biological control candidates for a classical or inundative biological control approach against A. artemisiifolia in Europe, capitalising on past experi- ences from North America, Asia and Australia is proposed. [Gerber, E., Schaffner, U., Gassmann, A., Hinz, H.L., Seier, M. & Müller-Schärer,H. (2011). Prospects for biological control of Ambrosia artemisiifolia in Europe: learning from the past. Weed Research DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3180.2011.00879.x.] [Photo caption: Sunflower field invaded by ragweed]
