Biological Control

WCRC is a member of the National Biocontrol Collective (NBC) – a consortium of regional councils, unitary authorities, and the Department of Conservation. The National Biocontrol Collective funds the applied weed biocontrol research in New Zealand.

Biological control is the use of one living organism to control another. In this case, it involves the introduction of a natural enemy (usually an insect or a fungus) of a target weed from the country of origin of the weed. Once a population has established, the natural enemy maintains itself in perpetuity, spreads itself from place to place, and regulates its numbers in response to the abundance of the weed - when the weed becomes uncommon, the biocontrol agent will also become uncommon.

Biocontrol offers a cost-effective, environmentally low-risk and sustainable solution to weed control. Carefully selected biocontrol agents only target their host weed species. They don’t harm desirable plants, and don’t pollute the environment.

Find out more at: https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/discover-our-research/biodiversity-biosecurity/weed-biocontrol/