Title: Biological Control of Weeds in Australia

Biological control of weeds has been practised for over 100 years and Australia has been a leader in this weed management technique. The classical example of control of prickly pears in Australia by the cactus moth Cactoblastis cactorum, which was imported from the Americas, helped to set the future for biocontrol of weeds in many countries. Since then there have been many projects using Classical Biological Control to manage numerous weed species, many of which have been successful. Importantly, there have been no serious negative non-target impacts – the technique, when practised as it is in Australia, is safe and environmentally friendly. Economic assessments have shown that biocontrol of weeds in Australia has provided exceedingly high benefit-to-cost ratios. This book reviews biological control of weeds in Australia to 2011, covering over 90 weed species and a multitude of biological control agents and potential agents. Each chapter has been written by practising biological control of weeds researchers and provides details of the weed, the history of its biological control, exploration for agents, potential agents studied and agents released and the outcomes of those releases. Many weeds were successfully controlled, some were not, many projects are still underway, some have just begun, however all are reported in detail in this book. Biological Control of Weeds in Australia will provide invaluable information for biological control researchers in Australia and elsewhere. Agents used in Australia could be of immense value to other countries that suffer from the same weeds as Australia. The studies reported here provide direction to future research and provide examples and knowledge for researchers and students.

Features





Contents



Foreword
List of contributors
Introduction
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Biological control of Australian plants: a South African and US perspective
Acacia nilotica subsp. indica (Benth.) Brenan – prickly acacia
Ageratina adenophora (Spreng.) King & Robinson – crofton weed
Ageratina riparia (Regel) K. & R. – mistflower
Alternanthera philoxeroides (Martius) Grisebach – alligator weed
Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. – annual ragweed
Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis – Madeira vine
Argemone mexicana L. and Argemone ochroleuca Sweet – Mexican poppy
Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce – bridal creeper
Asphodelus fistulosus L. – onion weed
Baccharis halimifolia L. – groundsel bush
Billardiera heterophylla (Lindl.) L. Cayzer & Crisp – sollya
Bryophyllum delagoense (Ecklon & Zeher) Schinz – mother-of-millions
Cabomba caroliniana Gray – cabomba
Carduus nutans L. – nodding thistle
Carduus pycnocephalus L. – slender thistle

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Readership





Author Information



Each of the editors has been involved in research and management of biological control of weeds for over 30 years. They have managed teams that have been involved in all facets of research in this field including overseas exploration, host specificity tests, releasing and evaluation. Each has contributed significantly to the scientific literature.

Mic Julien was leader of CSIRO Entomology’s Ecology and Management of Tropical Weeds Group.

Rachel McFadyen works at the Weed Society of Queensland.

Jim Cullen was the chief of the CSIRO Division of Entomology.

Colour photographs, Illustrations
648 pages, 270 x 210 mm
Publisher: CSIRO PUBLISHING		 Hardback - March 2012
ISBN: 9780643099937 - AU $180.00


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Article: publications2 (permalink)
Date: 8 March 2012; 1:31:12 PM AEDT

Author Name: David Low
Author ID: adminDavid