F.E. Anderson , S.M. Zalba , J. Ansaldi , A Sosa , F. Mc Kay , G.J. Cabrera Walsh
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Argentina hosted pioneering classical weed biological control projects that were carried out by state institutions between the 1970s and 1990s, at a time when the practice was almost unheard of in Latin America. Despite the early development of these initiatives, the discipline did not prosper and all projects were discontinued. Notwithstanding, Argentina continued to provide biological control agents for the control of weeds in many other parts of the world, ensuring the expertise persisted. Although public concern about invasive plants and chemical-dependent agricultural practices has increased over time, it did not lead to a greater acceptance of classical biological control of weeds, which is still regarded with mistrust or ignored in many public and academic circles alike. Furthermore, there are no systems in place to reach a consensus on declaring weeds as targets for biological control in Argentina. In this paper we discuss different ways in which the community of researchers working in the field in Argentina can help relaunch the biological control of weeds, including the preparation of a prioritized list of target species. A list of this kind would not only reduce costs, but also help in developing trust in the discipline of biological control informing regulators and decision makers in this regard. Prospects are brighter today than a few years ago, but considerable communication and educational work on the benefits of this practice is still required to gain more support before it can effectively be re-implemented.
期刊介绍:
Biological control is an environmentally sound and effective means of reducing or mitigating pests and pest effects through the use of natural enemies. The aim of Biological Control is to promote this science and technology through publication of original research articles and reviews of research and theory. The journal devotes a section to reports on biotechnologies dealing with the elucidation and use of genes or gene products for the enhancement of biological control agents.
The journal encompasses biological control of viral, microbial, nematode, insect, mite, weed, and vertebrate pests in agriculture, aquatic, forest, natural resource, stored product, and urban environments. Biological control of arthropod pests of human and domestic animals is also included. Ecological, molecular, and biotechnological approaches to the understanding of biological control are welcome.