The Masters of Advanced Studies in Integrated Crop Management (MAS ICM) was a higher education course which ran from 2015 to 2020. The interdisciplinary course provided knowledge on ICM within a sustainable agricultural production system, and the course was offered to agricultural professionals...

In order to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilisation, genetic resources used in research and development must be collected and utilised in compliance with the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). By July 2020, 67 countries had legislation in...

Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is a fast-growing deciduous tree native to China, considered a serious invasive species worldwide, with several socio-economic and ecological impacts attributed to it. Chemical and mechanical methods have limited efficacy in its management, and biological...

We evaluated the potential of the European root-feeding moth Dichrorampha aeratana as a biological control agent for the invasive weed Leucanthemum vulgare (oxeye daisy) in North America and Australia. The taxonomic proximity of the ornamental Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum) to L. vulgare...

This chapter discusses the benefits and risks of applying living organisms (e.g. arthropods, bacteria, fungi) or viruses to control arthropod pests, weeds and plant diseases. As for other pest control measures, the benefits that can be created by biological control should be weighed against...

Recent reviews show that classical weed biocontrol measures can be successful in reducing the negative impacts of invasive plant species, have impressive returns on investment, and contribute to slower rates of weed spread. Quantitative post-release monitoring is necessary to account for...

Determinants of the host ranges of insect herbivores are important from an evolutionary perspective and also have implications for applications such as biological control. Although insect herbivore host ranges typically are phylogenetically constrained, herbivore preference and performance...

This review summarizes all known direct nontarget attack (NTA) cases of intentionally released or actively redistributed weed biological control agents, in order to allow for an objective risk-benefit analysis when choosing the most appropriate method for controlling invasive plants. Of 457 agents...

In this paper, we describe lessons learned and protocols developed after a decade of rearing Ceutorhynchus scrobicollis Nerenscheimer and Wagner (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in a Biosafety Level 2 containment facility. We have developed these protocols in anticipation of approval to release C....