Enhancing Europe’s readiness for managing fall armyworm, an invasive pest threat
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is one of the major insect invaders in maize production regions worldwide. Over the last decade, this American-origin caterpillar has invaded Africa and Asia, whilst heavily impacting yields. In some countries, food security has been challenged. In other countries, the sudden heavy use of pesticides to control this invasive has created health and environmental problems. The pest has now started to migrate into Europe which is causing concern. Fall armyworm is a new pest to Europe, so the expectation is to use pesticides to control it. This collaborative project aims to improve the preparedness of European agricultural actors through safer and more sustainable control practices.
Biological control of European frogbit in North America
European frogbit, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, is a free-floating aquatic plant with heart-shaped leaves. Native to Europe and parts of temperate Asia and Africa, this plant is considered invasive due to its socio-economic and environmental impacts. European frogbit was introduced into North America as an ornamental plant and has since spread to rivers, lakes and inland waters. CABI is exploring potential biological control agents that can be used to help reduce the expansion of European frogbit through North America.
Biological control of blueweed
Blueweed, Echium vulgare, is a biennial plant native to Europe and Asia that has become a problematic weed in pasture and rangelands of North America where it is classed as noxious. Biological control can be used to help manage the weed. CABI has been tasked with identifying and studying specialist natural enemies from Europe and Asia that can be potentially introduced into North America as biological control agents.
Developing beneficial nematode-based biocontrol solutions to fall armyworm in Africa
The fall armyworm is a major pest devastating more than 80 crops. However, it favours maize where it can cut yields by up to 90%. The pest has invaded Africa, Australia and Asia, and recently arrived in Europe. Existing pest management efforts against the maize pest include insecticides. But an overreliance on these has led to prolific increases in insecticide applications in maize cultivation in Africa, and detrimental health and environmental threats. The ineffective existing control method has highlighted the need for more effective, safer and more sustainable control practices. An expert team and CABI are developing practical, safe and effective techniques of entomopathogenic nematodes as biological control agents against armyworm caterpillars to help mitigate the impacts of fall armyworm on food security in Africa.
Classical biological control of Japanese beetle
The Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) is a pest that feeds on hundreds of fruit tree species, causing considerable damage. In the USA, costs to control the pest exceed $450 million per year. Global regions that climatically support the invasion of the Japanese beetle include central Europe where it is considered a high priority pest. This project is aiming to tackle the spread of the Japanese beetle by exploring the use of the parasitic fly, Istocheta aldrichi, as a classical biological control agent in Switzerland, where it arrived in 2017.