Projects

Objective:

To find a sustainable biological control for Echium weed species.

Echium plantagineum (commonly known as Paterson’s Curse, Salvation Jane or Riverina Bluebell) is an introduced winter annual pasture weed of Mediterranean origin. The cost of weeds to Australian agriculture exceeds $4 billion per year, and almost all the plants involved are foreign.  Due to a lack of natural occurring Australian enemies, Echium weed has become one of the dominant weeds of temperate Australia. It reduces agricultural productivity by competing with more nutritious pasture plants and because it is toxic to livestock when ingested continuously.

In 1972, CSIRO began an R&D program involving 400 successful releases of insects specifically targeting Echium species of weeds.

Collaboration:

The national program on biological control of Paterson's curse is a cooperative effort involving the CRC for Weed Management Systems, CSIRO Division of Entomology, NRE and government authorities in other States. The Weeds CRC has worked with its partners to speed the release program and to support development of essential extension material.

Australian meat (MLA) and wool (AWI) industries have contributed funding along with the Weeds CRC and CSIRO.

Results:

The crown weevil has been released at over 1000 sites in Australia since 1994 and has been redistributed from 1996 onwards. Crown weevil larvae damage the crown and root, making plants less competitive and reducing their ability to produce seeds. Adults chew holes in leaf blades causing "shot hole" damage while also feeding on the leaf stalks.

Annual benefits in terms of increased productivity of grazing lands are projected to increase from near zero in 2000 to some $73 million by 2015. Because lower attack and spread rates of the insects are observed in regions with late autumn breaks, a slow build up of benefits is expected to continue over many years

Measures of Success:

Return on investment measure	1972 to 2015	1972 to 2050
Net present value	259	916
Benefit-cost ratio	14.1 to 1	47.5 to 1
Internal Rate of Return	> 17%	> 19%