RESUMEN

Listronotus bonariensis (Argentine stem weevil) is a stem-boring weevil that has become a major pasture pest in New Zealand, and cool climate turf grass in Australia. This species is also frequently found in native tussock grassland in New Zealand. Laboratory and field trials were established to determine the risk posed to both seedlings and established plants of three native grass species compared to what happens with a common host of this species, hybrid ryegrass (L. perenne X L. multiflorum). Adult weevil feeding damage scores were higher on Poa colensoi and Festuca novae-zelandiae than Chionochloa rigida. Oviposition was lower on P. colensoi than hybrid ryegrass, and no eggs were laid on F. novae-zelandiae. In field trials using the same four species established as spaced plants L. bonariensis laid more eggs per tiller in ryegrass in a low altitude pasture site than in ryegrass in a higher altitude site. No eggs were found on the three native grass species at the tussock sites, and only low numbers were found on other grasses at the low altitude pasture site. Despite this, numbers of adult weevils were extracted from the plants in the field trials. These may have comprised survivors of the original weevils added to the plants, together with new generation weevils that had emerged during the experiment. Irrespective, higher numbers were recovered from the tussock site plants than from those from the pasture site. It was concluded that L. bonariensis is likely to have little overall impact, but a greater impact on native grass seedling survival than on established plants.

RESUMEN

Will the Convention on Biological Diversity put an end to biological control? Under the Convention on Biological Diversity countries have sovereign rights over their genetic resources. Agreements governing the access to these resources and the sharing of the benefits arising from their use need to be established between involved parties. This also applies to species collected for potential use in biological control. Recent applications of access and benefit sharing principles have already made it difficult or impossible to collect and export natural enemies for biological control research in several countries. If such an approach is widely applied it would impede this very successful and environmentally safe pest management method based on the use of biological diversity. The International Organization for Biological Control of Noxious Animals and Plants has, therefore, created the "Commission on Biological Control and Access and Benefit Sharing". This commission is carrying out national and international activities to make clear how a benefit sharing regime might seriously frustrate the future of biological control. In addition, the IOBC Commission members published information on current regulations and perceptions concerning exploration for natural enemies and drafted some 30 case studies selected to illustrate a variety of points relevant to access and benefit sharing. In this article, we summarize our concern about the effects of access and benefit sharing systems on the future of biological control.

Poderá a Convenção em Diversidade Biológica por um fim no Controle Biológico? Baseando-se na Convenção sobre Diversidade Biológica, os países têm soberania sobre seus recursos genéticos. Acordos que governam o acesso a tais recursos e o compartilhamento dos benefícios provenientes do seu uso precisam ser estabelecidos de comum acordo com as partes envolvidas. Isto também é aplicável a espécies coletadas com uso potencial em controle biológico. Recentes aplicações dos princípios de introdução e compartilhamento dos benefícios têm tornado difícil, ou mesmo impossível, coletar e exportar inimigos naturais em muitos paises para pesquisas em controle biológico em muitos países. Como esta é uma medida amplamente utilizada, tais procedimentos poderão impedir este bem sucedido e ambientalmente seguro método de manejo de pragas, baseado no uso da diversidade biológica. A Organização Internacional para Controle Biológico de Plantas e Animais Nocivos (IOBC) criou a "Comissão em Controle Biológico e Introdução e Benefícios Mútuos" para estudar o assunto. Tal comissão está desenvolvendo atividades nacionais e internacionais para esclarecer como o regime de compartilhamento de benefícios pode prejudicar seriamente o futuro do controle biológico. Além disto, membros da Comissão da IOBC publicaram informações sobre regulamentos atuais e suas opiniões relacionadas à exploração de inimigos naturais, listando cerca de 30 casos para ilustrar os pontos relevantes para a introdução e compartilhamento de benefícios. No presente artigo, é sumarizado o ponto de vista dessa comissão na IOBC sobre os efeitos dos sistemas de introdução e compartilhamento para o futuro do Controle Biológico.