Managing the invasive threat to Europe’s forests
Over the last few decades, European trees and forests have experienced dramatic losses caused by introduced non-native invasive pests and pathogens. As part of an international project, CABI is developing cost-effective and environmentally friendly tools for the prevention, detection and control of the invasive threats to Europes forests.
Invasive plant pathogens threatening the USA
Invasive plant pathogens represent a threat to US agriculture, forestry and the environment. Accurate information on these pathogens is required to help prevent their introduction and spread. The Plant Pathogens Subcommittee of the US Federal Interagency Committee on Invasive Terrestrial Animals and Pathogens (ITAP) has identified the worst plant pathogen threats to the USA. CABI is commissioning the compilation of data on these plant pathogens to be published as full datasheets in the Invasive Species Compendium [www.cabi.org/isc] (an open access global resource currently containing over 10,000 datasheets).
Biological control of the Spotted wing Drosophila – Drosophila suzukii
Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), a fruit fly from East Asia, is now a serious economic pest of soft fruits and berries across Europe, the Americas and North Africa. In this project we are focusing on finding natural enemies (parasitoids) of the pest to introduce into Europe. This involves surveys for parasitoids where it originated and experiments in quarantine in Switzerland to investigate their taxonomy, performance and specificity.
Integrated weed management in Europe
Weeds are ubiquitous and cause substantial yield losses across all arable and horticultural land. The goal of this European-wide project is to optimise the efficacy, applicability and use of environmentally friendly weed control measures that can replace or complement current chemical control methods.
Beneficial nematodes to control rootworms in European maize production
The western corn rootworm is a major invasive maize pest in North America and Europe. Control options become more and more limited as problematic pesticides are being phased out. 10 years of joint efforts in research and development by academic, legislative and commercial partners have led to a nematode-based biological control solution for this destructive maize pest. Mass-produced beneficial nematodes Heterorhabditis bacteriophora are now available as a commercial product.
Using beneficial maize-rhizosphere microbials against western corn rootworm
The western corn rootworm is a major invasive maize pest in North America and Europe. The phase-out of certain pesticides means control options are increasingly limited. New technologies are being researched in collaboration with five French partners. Using field surveys and candidate gene searches through database-mining, we are investigating bacterial proteins with insecticidal effects. Promising strains are then screened in vitro to develop biopesticidial or biotechnological control options.