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ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute

Pereskia / Barbados gooseberry: Pereskia aculeata (Cactaceae)

Details
Commodity category:	Specific invasive plant species and their control
Commodity type:	Invasive trees and shrubs
Image:
Contact person:	Ms Hildegard Klein
Contact e-Mail:	kleinh@arc.agric.za).

A leaf-feeding flea-beetle was released as a biocontrol agent.

Only one insect species has been released to assist in the biological control of pereskia: the leaf-feeding flea-beetle, Phenrica guérini. It is inflicting considerable damage to pereskia plants at Port Alfred, but although the beetle was also released widely in KwaZulu-Natal, it has apparently not become established there. A promising, leaf-mining moth, Epipagis cambogialis, had to be discarded due to insufficient host-specificity. A review on this biocontrol project was published in 1999. Biocontrol agents can be obtained from the regional Working for Water Biocontrol Implementation Officer.

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