Controlling mesquite in northern Australia

  1. Researching mesquite in Australia
  2. Ecological research
  3. History of mesquite biological control
  4. Potential for new biological control agents
  5. Fire research and integrated management
  6. Landscape ecology
  7. Pilbara Mesquite Management Committee
  8. Pilbara mesquite
  9. Mesquite weediness elsewhere
  10. Mesquite taxonomy
  11. Publishing History

History of mesquite biological control

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A biological control program was first initiated against mesquite by the South Africans in 1985. Seed-feeders were chosen with the intention of reducing the invasiveness of mesquite whilst preserving its beneficial properties.

Three seed-feeders were subsequently released and have become established in South Africa. Of those, two were later tested and released in Australia by Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (QNRME) in 1996 and 1997. QNRME also tested a psyllid (Heteropsylla texana Crawford) in 1992 but it was not considered specific enough to release.

A biocontrol program against mesquite in Australia was initiated by CSIRO in 1994 and focussed on insect species which targeted vegetative foliage and reproductives (bud, flowers and pods) prior to their consumption by vertebrate herbivores.

Four potential agents were studied:

  • Mozena obtusa, a coreid bug which feeds on immature reproductives and vegetative foliage
  • Oncideres rhodosticta, a stem-girdling cerambycid
  • Prosopidopsylla flava, a sap-sucking psyllid which causes dieback
  • Evippe sp. #1, a leaf-tying gelechiid which is a defoliator.

Only the latter two insects, both from Argentina, were specific to mesquite and have subsequently been released throughout Australia since 1998.

The psyllid is only tenuously established in some regions. However, the moth is widely established, and is causing prolonged damage and impact in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The South Africans have recently restarted their biological control program against mesquite. It has not yet resulted in the release of any new agents.

Learn more about the mesquite agents studied.

Mesquite biocontrol with the leaf-tier, Evippe sp. #1

This fact sheet describes research on Evippe sp. #1, a leaf tying-moth from Argentina that was released in Australia as a biological control on the introduced invasive weeds species mesquite.

Mesquite biocontrol with the sap-sucking psyllid, Prosopidopsylla flava

This fact sheet describes research on the sap-sucking psyllid, Prosopidopsylla flava which was released in Australia as a biological control agent for mesquite.

Mesquite biocontrol with the sap-sucking Coreid, Mozena obtusa

The sap-sucking Coreid, Mozena obtusa was investigated as a potential biological control agent for mesquite, a woody weed invading semi-arid and arid parts of Australia.

Mesquite biocontrol with the stem girdler, Oncideres rhodisticta

The stem girdler, Oncideres rhodisticta was investigated as a potential biocontrol agent for mesquite, but was not released in Australia as it proved difficult to culture in the lab and preliminary data suggested it might not be sufficiently host-specific.

References

  • Cordo HA, DeLoach CJ. 1987. Insects that attack mesquite (Prosopis spp.) in Argentina and Paraguay: their possible use for biological control in the United States. United State Department of Agriculture, ARS-62. South American Biological Control Laboratory, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires. Argentina.
  • De Loach CJ. 1985. Conflicts of interest over beneficial and undesirable aspects of mesquite (Prosopis spp.) in the United States as related to biological control. In: Delfosse ES. (Ed.). Proceedings of VI International Symposium on the Biological Control of Weeds 1984. Minister of Supply and Services. Vancouver, Canada. Pp. 301-40.
  • Impson FAC, Moran VC, Hoffmann JH. 1999. A review of the effectiveness of seed-feeding bruchid beetles in the biological control of mesquite, Prosopis species (Fabaceae), in South Africa. African Entomology Memoir. 1:81-88.
  • Paulsen HA, Ares FN. 1961. Trends and carrying capacity and vegetation on an arid southwestern range. Journal of Range Management. 14: 78-83.
  • Ward CR, O'Brien CW, O'Brien LB, Foster DE, Huddlestone EW. 1977. Annotated checklist of New World insects associated with Prosopis (mesquite). United States Department of Agriculture, Research Services Bulletin. 1557.