Japanese knotweed biological control - Aphalara itadori

Japanese knotweed biological control - Aphalara itadori

Due to the immense costs of controlling Japanese knotweed in Britain, estimated at several billion pounds, CABI (Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International) scientists, have been carrying out tests for introducing biological controls. Unsurprisingly, CABI have not been short of sponsors for this research. Sponsors include: British Waterways, Cornwall County Council, Defra, the Environment Agency, Network Rail, South West Regional Development Agency and the Welsh Assembly Government.

CABI scientists have identified more than 200 of the Japanese knotweed's natural enemies - 186 species of plant-eating insects and about 40 species of fungi. The researchers tested them with plant species that were very closely related to knotweed, less closely related species that belonged to the same family, and important UK plants such as apples and wheat...(To read more click here.)