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Keeping the weevils from Bangladesh’s cottoncase study33Cotton Boll Weevil, Anthonomousgrandis, is a notorious pest ofcotton in the USA where it persistsdespite an intensive, 20-yeareradication programme. It is notknown to occur in Bangladesh, acountry that imports cotton from anumber of countries, including theUSA, to meet demand from itseconomically important textileindustry. Standard phytosanitaryprocedure requires importedcotton to be fumigated for 72 hourson board ships at the port of entryto protect Bangladesh’s cottonproduction from alien pest species,especially Cotton Boll Weevil. In arecent incident, Bangladesh TextileMills Association (cottonimporters) and the US Ambassadorargued that this fumigationtreatment is unnecessary.Bangladesh governmentauthorities had to decide whetherto contest the US position.SectorsAgriculture; trade; pests; invasive alien species.LocationBangladesh.MethodsThe Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh, invitedseveral expert entomologists (taxonomists) toadvise on the appropriate response to USgovernment assertions that: (a) fumigationrequirements are unnecessary from a scientificperspective, extremely costly and not required;(b) prior to shipment, cotton fibre is inspectedby the U.S. Department of Agriculture andcertified as being free of Boll Weevil; and (c)fumigation only serves to increase the price ofU.S. cotton, thereby damaging thecompetitiveness of garment and textile exportsfrom Bangladesh.The taxonomists confirmed that the Cotton BollWeevil is not found in Bangladesh. Importantly,they advised that Boll Weevils can enter adormant state for 10-11 months (anoverwintering survival strategy). It is alsopossible that their eggs could survive in aconsignment of cotton in dormant adult weevils.OutcomeThe taxonomists recommended that:(a) Fumigation at the port of entry must becontinued to prevent invasion of anyunknown pest including Cotton Boll Weevil.(b) Experts from member countries of theIPPC and APPPC should make a definitiveruling (fumigation is mandatory in othercotton importing countries of the region).LessonsThe involvement of scientists (taxonomists) isvital for phytosanitary and quarantine services,prevention of invasions by alien pest speciesand protecting a country from accusations ofunfair practice by a trading partner. Withoutlocally available taxonomic expertise, cottonproduction in Bangladesh would have been putat risk from cotton imports containing CottonBoll Weevil in dormant or egg form. Lostcotton production and pest eradication costswould have had significant economic and socialconsequences, as in other countries that arehighly dependent on agriculture. Maintaininglocally accessible taxonomic expertise is ahighly cost-effective approach to protectingagricultural and trade interests.References: Bangladesh Gazette, 1989. Destructive insectsand pests rules, 1966 (Plant Quarantine) amended up to July1989.Pierce, J B, 1998. Cotton Boll Weevil Biology, Guide A-232,Agricultural Science Center at Artesia, New Mexico StateUniversity.Contributed by: Professor Badrul Amin Bhuiya, Chairman,Biodiversity Research Group of Bangladesh and InterimNational Coordinator, BioNET-SACNET Bangladesh,Department of Zoology University of Chittagong, Chittagong4331, BANGLADESH.e: babhuiya@ctgu.edu | babhuiya@hotmail.comw: www.brgb.orgtaxonomytargetinginvasives
Symbiotic fungus provides early warningand minimises forestry losescase study34In 1994, while conducting researchon another forestry pest, thedisintegrated body parts of ametallic bluish-black wasp werefound under the bark of a 40 yearold Pinus radiata tree which hadbeen felled and then rejected in aplantation outside Cape Town.Further examination revealedround exit holes similar to thosedescribed in the literature for thewoodwasp Sirex noctilio, a forestrypest previously unknown in SouthAfrica. S. noctilio originates inEurasia and North Africa where itattacks stressed conifer species. Ithas since spread to plantations inother parts of the world, killing upto 70% of trees.SectorForestry; pests; invasive alien speciesLocationSouth AfricaMethodsIt was not possible to identify the wasp from itsremains, so a sample of the wood was sent tothe mycology division of the National Collectionof Insects in Pretoria where it was cultured totest for the presence of a symbiotic fungus(Amylostereum areolatum). Femalewoodwasps inject trees with A. areolatum alongwith a mucus just prior to laying their eggs.Once the larvae hatch they feed on the funguswithin the wood, making a U-turn when the lessnutritious heart-wood is reached, andeventually pupate in the wood below the bark,before emerging as adult woodwasps afterabout a year. The presence of this symbioticfungus would indirectly confirm the presence ofthe woodwasp.Outcomes and impactsAnalysis confirmed the presence of A.areolatum and hence the woodwasp. Theconfirmation came a year before the first waspspecimen was captured. Early warning of thewoodwaspís presence allowed an immediatestart to be made on the importation ofbiological control agents that had workedsuccessfully in Australia and New Zealand.Within a year, the key parasitic nematodeDeladenus siricidicola, had been introduced,followed a year later by other biological controlagents: Hymenopterous parasitoid Ibalialeucospoides and then by Megarhyssa nortoni.Between 1994 and 2001 the woodwasp spread380km along the west and east coasts butsuccessful biological control meant that at nopoint were more than 3% of the trees lost.LessonsThe speed with which biological control wasimplemented after the indirect identification ofthe woodwasp was directly responsible for theminimal losses experienced by the forestryindustry of South Africa. Taxonomic expertisewas essential for the early detection of theinvasive pest and for design of the biocontrolprogramme that contained the threat.References: 1. Baxter, A.P., Rong, I.H. & Schutte, et a.l. 1995.Amylostereum areolatum (Aphyllophorales: Stereaceae) inSouth Africa. South African Journal of Botany 61 (6): 352-354.2. Bedding,R.A. 1993. Biological control of Sirex noctilio usingthe nematode Deladenus siricidicola. In: Bedding, R.A.,Akhurst, R.J. & Kaya, H. (Eds) Nematodes and the BiologicalControl of Insect Pests. 11 - 20. CSIRO, Australia. 3. Neumann,F.G., Morey, J.L. & McKimm, R.J. 1987. The Sirex wasp inVictoria. Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands.Bulletin No. 29, 41pp. 4. Tribe, G.D. 1995. The woodwaspSirex noctilio Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Siricidae), a pest ofPinus species, now established in South Africa. AfricanEntomology 3: 215-217.Contributed by: G. D. Tribe, Plant Protection ResearchInstitute, Private Bag X5017, Stellenbosch 7599, South Africa.e: vredgt@plant3.agric.zataxonomytargetinginvasives
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