Original Research

First Attempt at and Early Results on the Biological Control of Pistia stratiotes L. in South Africa

Catharina J. Cilliers
Koedoe | Vol 30, No 1 | a500 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v30i1.500 | © 1987 Catharina J. Cilliers | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 21 October 1987 | Published: 21 October 1987

About the author(s)

Catharina J. Cilliers, Plant Protection Research Institute, South Africa

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Abstract

Although Pistia stratiotes L. (water lettuce) is not an important weed in the Republic of South Africa, the host-specific weevil Neohydronomus pulchellus Hustache was imported for the biological control of this weed. The weevil was released onto a dense infestation of P. stratiotes of several years standing on a pan in the Pafuri area in December 1985. By September 1986 the weevils had already destroyed most of the weed and in October 1986 the weed was under biological control at this site.

Keywords

Pistia stratiotes, water lettuce, biological control, Neohydronomus pulchellus.

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Crossref Citations

1. A Quantitative Post-Release Evaluation of Biological Control of Water Lettuce,Pistia StratiotesL. (Araceae) by the WeevilNeohydronomus AffinisHustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) at Cape Recife Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
G.R. Moore, M.P. Hill
African Entomology  vol: 20  issue: 2  first page: 380  year: 2012  
doi: 10.4001/003.020.0217