Managing Parthenium Weed Across Diverse Landscapes: Prospects and Limitations - Management of Invasive Weeds - page 229

12.4.8 Biological Control

12.4.8.1 Australia

In Australia, biological control of parthenium was initiated in 1977 with surveys
conducted in Mexico, USA (Evans 1983, 1997a, b; McClay 1980; McClay et al.
1995), Brazil, Argentina (McFadyen 1976, 1979) and the Caribbean Islands
(Bennett 1976). So far, nine species of insects and two rust fungi have been intro-
duced into Australia (Dhileepan and McFadyen 1997; Griffiths and McFadyen
1993; McClay et al. 1990; McFadyen 1985, 1992, 2000; McFadyen and McClay
1981; Parker et al. 1994; Wild et al. 1992; Table 12.3). Among them, seven species
of insects and two rust fungi have been successfully established as biological con-
trol agents in Australia (Dhileepan et al. 1996; Dhileepan and McFadyen 1997;
McFadyen 1992, 2000).

Table 12.3 Introduced parthenium biological control agents (see text for references for each bio-
logical control agent in different countries)

Introduced
country Biological control agents Source country Year Establishment status

Lepidoptera: Tortricidae
Epiblema strenuana Walker Australia Mexico 1982 Widespread and

abundant

Platphalonidia mystica
(Razowski & Becker)

Sri Lanka Australia 2004 Unknown

Lepidoptera: Sessidae Australia Argentina 1992 Unknown

Carmenta nr ithacae
(Beutenmüller)

Australia Mexico 1998 Localised

Lepidoptera:
Bucculatricidae

Australia Mexico 1998 Abundant and

localised

Bucculatrix parthenica
Bradley
Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae
Zygogramma bicolorata
Pallister

Australia Mexico 1980 Abundant and

localised

Listronotus setosipennis
Hustache

India Mexico 1984 Abundant and

widespread

Smicronyx lutulentus Dietz Pakistan India 2006 Localised

Coleoptera: Curculionidae Australia Argentina and

Brazil

1982 Abundant and

widespread

Conotrachelus albocinereus
Fiedler

Australia Mexico 1981 Abundant and

widespread

Australia Argentina 1995 Localised

Homoptera: Delphacidae
Stobaera concinna (Stål). Australia Mexico 1983 Unknown

Basidiomycotina:
Uredinales
Puccinia abrupta parthenii-
cola Parmelee

Australia Mexico 1991 Localised

(continued)