Natural enemies of pampas Cortaderia selloana and C. jubata ?survey results from New Zealand (naturalised-range) and Argentina (home-range)

BELLGARD STANLEY; DODD SARAH; ANDERSON F.E.; THAN DANIEL; WINKS CHRIS; HAYES LYNLEY; BARTON,JANE

Workshop; International Bioherbicide Working Group. Pre-conference Workshop.; 2011

The South American pampas grasses Cortaderia selloana and C. jubata are serious weeds in New Zealand: especially in pine plantations and indigenous plant communities where they successfully invade bare ground (including cliffs). A national survey of invertebrate fauna and microbes associated with pampas grass in New Zealand, was carried out between September 2008 and February 2010. No specialised pampas grass invertebrates were found during the survey. Plant pathogens found included a range of previously recorded, generalist grass pathogens. No specialist pampas pathogens were recovered. A preliminary survey for potential biological control agents for pampas grass has been undertaken in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A very similar suite of plant pathogens was recovered from this brief Argentinean survey. We have ranked the pathogens found to date in terms of their biocontrol potential in the following matrix. More comprehensive surveys for potential biocontrol agents will be undertaken in South America pending molecular studies currently underway to try to find areas with pampas that is a good match for New Zealand host-plant material.