Use insects to control invasive grass

Researchers from Leicester University paved the way for the use of an insect to fight invasive grasses in British soil, a form of biological control.

Biologists at the University of Leicester say Japanese little grass is one of the world's largest clones - they reproduce with cuttings and are introduced to England in the 1850s. eradicating this species in the UK has cost up to 1.5 billion pounds.

The Food and Environmental Research Agency Defra (Fera) has now deployed a plan to destroy little Japanese grass by using a tree-sucking insect that carries the scientific name Aphalara itadori.

This is a plan implemented after the results of rigorous testing regime implemented by CABI, a non-profit research agency in their laboratory.

Dick Shaw, lead scientist, said: ' With the use of information provided by Leicester University scientists, the BiBI biocontrol team can focus its efforts on the main. an area in Japan where the European clones of little Japanese grass began to be born ".

Dr. John Bailey, lecturer in Biology. (Photo: © University of Leicester)

Some species of invertebrates and microorganisms are included in a strict test regime on this grass. The goal of biological control is not to completely destroy a species, but to limit its development and enhance the effectiveness of other control measures. Plastic-sucking insects don't really eat leaves, branches or stems, they just suck the sap like the psyllids and at the same time give birth to females on the little Japanese grass, which seriously affects Grass morphology and development.

Dr. Shaw added: 'In the past, in Europe, no one biocontrol agent had been applied to a tree species, so all parties agreed that the work should be carried out with extreme caution. . ' The insect applied has proved to be both safe and useful to the environment and completely satisfied researchers. On July 23, the government held a conference on putting research results into practical applications, if approved, this project will be implemented for the first time in April 2010. .

'First deployments are only carried out with a permit, and will certainly be closely monitored by the authorities with detailed plans for the hypothetical situations and corresponding resolution. Once this insect is declared to be fully adapted and developed, anyone can take it into the grassy areas without a license. This Japanese little grass is a single clonal, so from my personal point of view, surely we will have a lot of potential to control it in British soil. '