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Plant Health

Biological Control Program

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Biological Control

Biological control (biocontrol) involves the reduction of pest populations through the use of natural enemies such as parasitoids, predators, pathogens, antagonists, or competitors to suppress pest populations. Biological control is a practical option for suppressing pest populations because:

  1. it is easy and safe to use
  2. it is a very cost effective and environmentally sound method of pest control, especially compared to the broad-spectrum pesticides often used
  3. it reduces the use of conventional pesticides
  4. it can be implemented as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program
  5. once established, populations are self-sustaining, and
  6. it is target specific

Goal

The goal of biological control activities within PPQ is to safeguard America’s agricultural production and natural areas from significant economic losses and negative impacts caused by insects, other arthropods, nematodes, weeds, and diseases of regulatory significance to the federal government, state departments of agriculture, tribal governments, and cooperators within the continental United States and on American territories through the use of biological control agents.

Mission

The mission of the Biological Control Program within PPQ is to work with cooperators to import, screen, develop, release, implement, monitor, and transfer biological control technologies to prevent the establishment, slow the spread, and manage pests of significant economic, environmental or regulatory importance, including the development and implementation of biological control technologies offshore against pests that could potentially be introduced into the continental United States and cause damage. This is fulfilled by funding in-house activities of PPQ scientists and external projects through Cooperative Agreements.

Program Management and Coordination

The responsibility for national coordination of biological control activities resides within PPQ’s Emergency and Domestic Programs, Invertebrate and Biological Control Programs (Riverdale, MD). Regional coordination and program implementation occurs in the PPQ regional offices in Raleigh, NC (Eastern Region) and Ft. Collins, CO (Western Region). Scientific and technical support is provided by the Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST) headquartered in Raleigh, NC.

Biological control activities within APHIS PPQ are conducted under the management of several PPQ National Programs. However, the champion of biological control within PPQ is the PPQ National Biological Control Program and its leadership team. The mission of the team is to promote, facilitate, and provide leadership for APHIS PPQ biological control projects and activities. The current members of this team are:

PPQ Biological Control Selection and Implementation Process

Target pests can be identified or selected by the PPQ Executive Team, emergency programs, congressional mandates, CPHST ‘ad hoc’ process, the PPQ Needs Identification Process, or the Offshore Pest Information System (OPIS) as an approaching offshore threat. Additionally, targets for biological control are identified through consultation with states.

The 'Biocontrol Target Pest Canvassing and Evaluation’, or canvassing for short, is a process conducted every 5 years. In each Region, State Plant Health Directors (SPHDs) ‘canvas’ various entities (e.g. federal, tribal, and state agencies, universities, weed management districts) in their respective states, soliciting input on important exotic insects and weeds that might be considered as possible targets for cooperative biological control programs. CPHST-developed protocols are used to objectively assess the severity of potential target pests and their feasibility or suitability for biological control. The end result of this canvassing exercise is a ranked list of potential target pests for biological control consideration, which is shared with States, collaborators, and cooperators.

Before the start of a new fiscal year, the Regional Biological Control Program Managers make a request to current cooperators and to the SPHDs within their regions to submit Cooperative Agreement work plan proposals for funding consideration. States, collaborators, and cooperators develop projects based on the canvassing report, or other PPQ programmatic needs. All work plans must align with Agency goals, support federal noxious weed and Agency programs, and should be developed in partnership with State cooperators, PPQ State Plant Health Directors, or designee. Project work plans are reviewed by their corresponding Regional Biological Control Program Manager, in consultation with other Regional personnel and the PPQ Biological Control Leadership Team. Other national and regional program managers are consulted when the target pest is a program itself, such as the emerald ash borer or imported fire ant, and funding is available from budget lines other than Biological Control. Decisions are made based on available funding, but funding priority is usually given to projects with motivated partners that can leverage other funding sources or with in-kind support. Annual reviews are jointly conducted by PPQ and its cooperators to evaluate progress and determine whether to continue or terminate funding for the activity. Technology transfer to cooperators is desired within 5 to 7 years.

The PPQ is committed to safe and effective biological control including monitoring and evaluation as integral parts of all implementation projects.  This approach is crucial for the success and future of biological control as a management strategy and is consistent with PPQ’s safeguarding mission.

 

Last Modified: June 9, 2009