Development of Biological Controls for Noxious Plant Species

摘要

The proposed research on this contract consisted of the following objectives: (1)211u001eTo discover and collect plant pathogens of selected weeds through field surveys 211u001ein Florida; (2) determine the biological control ability of pathogens against 211u001etheir weed hosts in greenhouse and small-plot experiments; (3) confirm the host 211u001erange and safety of pathogens that have bioherbicide potential in greenhouse 211u001etrials; (4) develop methods to produce and formulate bioherbicides for field 211u001etrials; and (5) evaluate the efficacy of the agents under field conditions. We 211u001ehave successfully met these objectives by (a) discovering several pathogens of 211u001enoxious weeds of importance to Florida and determining their biological control 211u001eability; (b) identifying promising bioherbicide agents for cogongrass and other 211u001einvasive grasses, tropical soda apple, melaleuca, Brazilian peppertree, and 211u001ehydrilla; (c) developing methods for large-scale inoculum production; (d) 211u001eestablishing the efficacy and safety of some of the bioherbivide agents; and (e) 211u001etesting some of these agents in field trials. We are therefore on track to meet 211u001ethe ultimate goal of developing biological control agents to manage some of the 211u001enoxious plant species in Florida, which will reduce the dependency on chemical 211u001eherbicides for wee control and provide an environmentally beneficial weed 211u001emanagement tool.