Giving dyer’s woad the blues
Dyer’s woad is an ancient source of blue dye and was grown as a textile dye crop in Europe and Asia for centuries. It was introduced to North America by early colonists, but escaped cultivation. Today, it is recognized as a serious weed in the western USA. One reason for its impact is the absence of the natural enemies that keep it in check in its area of origin. CABI is searching for specialist natural enemies in Europe that could potentially be introduced for its biological control.
Exploring options to control Canada thistle
Despite the name, Canada thistle’s natural home is Eurasia. It has spread throughout the temperate world to become one of the worst weeds in rangeland and crops. One reason for this is the absence of the natural enemies that attack it in its area of origin. In North America six insect natural enemies have been introduced as biological control agents to try to control the weed but they have had little impact. CABI has been investigating whether disease-causing fungi might be the answer.
Controlling swallow-worts the sustainable way
Swallow-worts (Vincetoxicum nigrum and V. rossicum) are Eurasian plants that have become invasive in North America. The overall goal of the project is to identify specific natural enemies that can be introduced to North America as biological control agents for swallow-worts.