PERSONAL DE APOYO
ANDERSON Freda Elizabeth
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Prospective biological control agents for Nassella neesiana in Australia and New Zealand
Autor/es:
ANDERSON, FE, BARTON, J AND MCLAREN DA
Lugar:
La Grande Motte, Francia
Reunión:
Simposio; XII International symposium on biological control of weeds; 2007
Institución organizadora:
CSIRO
Resumen:
Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana, Poaceae), which is native to South America, costs agriculture millions and is threatening indigenous grasslands in Australia and New Zealand. Field observations and laboratory experiments have been undertaken in Argentina to find fungal pathogens suitable as biocontrol agents. Three rust species have been selected: Uromyces pencanus, Puccinia graminella and Puccinia nassellae. All three have been observed causing severe damage to their host in the field and are believed to be quite host specific. Attempts to elucidate their life-cycles experimentally have failed to-date, and this is discussed. Uromyces pencanus is the most promising of the three because reliable methods have been developed for culturing and storing inoculum and applying it to plants. There have been some technical difficulties with the other two rusts. An isolate of U. pencanus has been found which can attack six of seven Australian accessions and it has been selected for host specificity testing. A different isolate will be needed for New Zealand populations of the weed. Mixed infections by these rusts are not uncommon in the field. Studies will continue on all three prospective candidates, as a combination may eventually be needed to achieve the desired level of control.