Weed Information

Step One: 

Researchers look for natural enemies in the weed's country of origin:

• they look for information in scientific books and journals
• by talking to scientists overseas
• by going to the country of origin and surveying the plant for insects and fungi

Step Two:

Researchers check if any insects or fungi are attacking the weed in NZ because:

• we don't want to import an insect or fungus we already have!
• maybe we can import an agent that attacks a different part of the plant

Step Four: 

Safety again!

• Researchers apply for a permit from ERMA (Environmental Risk Management Authority) to import the natural enemy that we now call our potential biocontrol agent

• The biocontrol agent is imported to quarantine and checked to make sure:

  - the right insect or fungus has been imported

  - the agents aren't carrying any diseases

• Researchers synchronise the biocontrol agents to southern hemisphere conditions by changing the timing and lights in the quarantine labs.

• Final safety testing may be done on NZ plants that weren't available to test in the overseas laboratories.

Those biocontrol agents that attack plants other than the weed are rejected.

Step Three:

Safety!

• The natural enemy (insect or fungi) must be tested overseas to check its host-specificity. 

• The insect or fungi must be very specific and usually only attack one or two species of plant.

• Safety testing is carried out overseas to make sure that the natural enemy will not attack important plants in NZ. 

• The natural enemy is given the chance to attack NZ native plants, closely related plants, and important economic plants (e.g., crops or orchard fruits).

Those natural enemies that attack plants other than the weed are rejected.

Step Five:

• Application is made to ERMA to release the biocontrol agent. 

• ERMA asks for public comment on the application.

• After reviewing public submissions and expert advice, ERMA weighs up the risks and the benefits and decides whether to release the agent, ask for more info, or decline the release application.

if the green light is given by ERMA...

Step Six:

• Insects are mass reared and fungi is bulked up so that agents can be released in large numbers at suitable weedy sites.

• Agents are released at weedy sites with the help of DOC, Regional Councils and other groups and left undisturbed for a year.

the bugs start doing their job!!

...hopefully..

Step Seven:

• After a year or so, agents are checked to see if they survived release.

• Agents might need to be released several times in an area before they become established.

• Once there are lots of agents at the release site, some are collected and released at as many new sites as possible - this helps speed up the spread of agents.